Brief Description Coastal greenbelts have long been seen as an important strategy for reducing the vulnerability of coastal populations to climate-related hazards in Bangladesh and the country has over five decades experience of coastal afforestation and reforestation. Over 140,000 ha of mangroves have been planted along the coast since the 1960s. However, the success of afforestation and reforestation efforts has been highly variable due to a range of institutional, technical and socio- economic factors that have affected their long-term sustainability. A number of barriers currently prevent the realisation of the full adaptive potential of coastal greenbelts, including an underlying incentive structure that drives people to exploit and degrade coastal forests rather than preserve them. LDCF support will be used to help the Government of Bangladesh overcome these barriers through a suite of complementary measures to achieve the project’s objective of reducing the vulnerability of communities to the adverse impacts of climate change in the coastal zone through participative design, community-based management and diversification of afforestation and reforestation programmes. The project has been designed to complement a major new programme on coastal afforestation and reforestation funded by the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF).
Project Component 1 addresses existing barriers relating to lack of livelihood diversification and lack of coastal forest diversification, both of which adversely impact coastal forest sustainability. Thus Component 1 seeks to reduce the vulnerability of local communities in new afforestation and reforestation sites through livelihood diversification more effective greenbelts, by a) linking livelihood diversification interventions to improved coastal forest stewardship and b) diversifying coastal plantations to increase their ecological and social sustainability by, respectively becoming more heterogenous and dense and by increasing the range of tangible benefits the forests can provide. Component 2 seeks to strengthen community engagement and ownership of forestry-based adaptation and climate risk reduction programmes by developing and demonstrating effective co-management and benefit-sharing for coastal greenbelt plantations. Finally, while mangrove greenbelts are a vitally important adaptation measure for coastal areas, there will always remain a need for complementary measures to further protect human lives and livelihoods assets in the face of extreme climate events. In recognition of this, the third Project Component focuses on protecting communal livelihood assets in afforestation and reforestation sites from extreme climate events through effective early warning and preparedness planning. Altogether, over 60,000 vulnerable people will benefit from a range of LDCF-supported interventions. Capacity development of local communities and key government actors is central to the project approach and will enhance the long-term sustainability of project impacts. Furthermore, the project will leverage strategic partnerships with the BCCRF project, USAID’s Climate Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods project (CREL) and the GoB’s Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, also supported by UNDP, to promote scale up and replication of successful strategies.
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Table of Contents I Situation Analysis ...... 9 1.1 Brief country overview ...... 9 1.2 The climate change induced problem ...... 12 1.3 Coastal afforestation & reforestation on newly accreted Char lands ...... 13 1.4 Root causes of climate change vulnerability in the coastal zone ...... 18 1.5 Long-term solution and barriers to achieving the solution ...... 24 1.5.1 Limited level of livelihood diversification in coastal areas that drives communities to encroach and exploit coastal greenbelts ...... 25 1.5.2 Lack of coastal greenbelt species diversification ...... 26 1.5.3 Limited local participation in coastal greenbelt management and insufficient incentives for communities to ensure their long-term maintenance ...... 27 1.5.4 Weak inter-sectoral coordination on coastal greenbelts ...... 28 1.6 Stakeholder baseline analysis...... 33 II Strategy ...... 44 2.1 Project rationale & policy conformity ...... 44 2.2 Country ownership: country eligibility and country drivenness...... 46 2.3 Design principles and strategic considerations ...... 48 2.3.1 Building on the first LDCF Project ...... 48 2.3.2 Emerging large-scale coastal afforestation and reforestation programmes ...... 49 2.3.3 Co-Management of Coastal Forest Resources ...... 50 2.3.4 Gender considerations ...... 51 2.3.5 UNDP comparative advantage ...... 52 2.3.5 Expected benefits ...... 53 2.3.6 Avoiding duplications with major development / adaptation initiatives ...... 54 • Golachipa, Hatiya, Pathargata and Rangabali for climate-proofing of water infrastructure ...... 55 • Char Fasson, Hatiya, Monpura for improving drainage along the embankments ...... 55 2.4 Project Objective, Outcomes and Outputs & Proposed Activities ...... 55 2.5 Key indicators, risks and assumptions ...... 81 2.6 Cost-effectiveness ...... 82 2.7 Sustainability ...... 83 2.8 Replicability ...... 85 2.9 Stakeholder involvement plan ...... 86 2.10 Compliance with UNDP and GEF environmental and social safeguards ...... 86 III Project Results Framework...... 89 IV Total budget and workplan ...... 95 V Management Arrangements ...... 104 5.1 Project executive and implementing partner (GoB): ...... 104
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5.2 Project Organogram, Management Structure and Responsibilities ...... 104 5.3 Audit arrangements ...... 108 5.4 UNDP support services ...... 108 5.5 Intellectual property rights ...... 109 VI 6. Monitoring Framework and Evaluation ...... 11010 6.1 Project start and implementation ...... 110 10 6.2 Mid-term of project cycle ...... 111 6.3 End of Project ...... 111 6.4 M&E workplan and budget ...... 113 VII 7. Legal Context ...... 1155 8. Annexes ...... 115
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List of Annexes
Annex 1 Climate Risk Profile
Annex 2 Summary of PPG Stakeholder Consultations
Annex 3 Stakeholder Involvement Plan
Annex 4 Beneficiary Selection Criteria for Alternative Livelihood Strategies
Annex 5 Project Target Areas
Annex 6 The Forest Protected Area Co-Management Model developed under the Nishorgo Project
Annex 7 CDMP’s Design for Killas (cattle shelters)
Annex 8 Project Risk Log
Annex 9 Terms of Reference for Project Board, Project Staff and Key Consultants
Annex 10 Co-Financing Letters
Annex 11 Minutes of the Local Project Appraisal Committee Meeting
Annex 12 UNDP Environmental and Social Screening Procedure
Annex 13 Training Modules for CMCs/FRPGs and Benefit-Sharing
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
ADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre AIT Asian Institute of Technology ALM Adaptation Learning Mechanism ADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre AF Arannayk Foundation APR Annual Progress Report AWP Annual Workplan BCCRF Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund BCCSAP Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan BDT (Tk) Bangladesh Taka (national currency) BFD Bangladesh Forest Department, MoEF BFRI Bangladesh Forest Research Institute BMD Bangladesh Meteorological Department BRDB Bangladesh Rural Development Board BWDB Bangladesh Water Development Board, MoWR CARE Christian Action Research and Education CBA Community Based Adaptation CBACC Community-based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation in Bangladesh (1st LDCF-funded project) CBO Community Based Organization CBDRM Community-based Disaster Risk Management CBDRR Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction CC Climate Change CCA Climate Change Adaptation CDSP Char Development & Settlement Project CF Conservator of Forests CCF Chief Conservator of Forests CEGIS Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Service CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research CDMP Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme CMC Co-Management Committee CO Country Office (of UNDP) CP Country Programme CPP Cyclone Preparedness Programme CREL Climate Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods CRPARP Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project CPAP Country Programme Action Plan CSO Civil Society Organization CZP Coastal Zone Policy DAE Department of Agriculture Extension DDM Department of Disaster Management DDMC District Disaster Management Committee DEFDC District Environment and Forest Development Committee
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DFO Divisional Forest Officer DLS Department of Livestock Services DMC Disaster Management Committee DoE Department of Environment DoF Department of Forests DPM Disaster Prevention and Mitigation DRM Disaster Risk Management DRRO District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer DSC District Steering Committee ERC Evaluation Resource Centre (of UNDP) FCD Flood Control and Drainage FCDI Flood Control, Drainage and Irrigation FFF Fish-Fruit-Forest FFWC Flood Forecasting and Warning Center FRPG Forest Resources Protection Group GDP Gross Domestic Product GEF Global Environment Facility GoB Government of Bangladesh ha Hectare HDI Human Development Index ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development INC Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC IPAC Integrated Protected Area Co-Management IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LDC Least Developed Country LGED Local Government Engineering Department, MoLGRDC LDCF Least Developed Countries Fund MACH Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry Project MDG Millennium Development Goal MFF Mangroves For the Future MoA Ministry of Agriculture MoDMR Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief MoEF Ministry of Environment & Forests MoF Minstry of Food MoFL Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock MoLGRDC Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives MoWR Ministry of Water Resources MTE Mid-term Evaluation NAPA National Adaptation Programme of Action NGO Non-governmental Organization NPD National Project Director NPDM National Plan for Disaster Management NPM National Project Manager
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NTFP Non-Timber Forest Products PA Protected Area PB Project Board PEI Poverty and Environment Initiative PIO Project Implementation Officer PIR Project Implementation Review PMU Project Management Unit PPG Project Preparation Grant PRF Project Results Framework PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper QPR Quarterly Progress Reports RD&CD Rural Development and Cooperative Division, MoLGRDC SLR Sea level rise SNC Second National Communication SPCR Strategic Programme on Climate Resilience TAG Technical Advisory Group TST Targeting & Selection Strategy TOR Terms of Reference ToT Training of Trainers UDCC Upazila Development Coordination Committee UDMC Union Disaster Management Committee UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change VCA Vulnerability Capacity Assessment WARPO Water Resources Planning Organization, MoWR
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I SITUATION ANALYSIS
Brief country overview
1. The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a low-lying country in South Asia, located between 200 and 270 N and 880 and 930 E. The country has a total area of 147,570 km2 and is bounded by India to the west, north and northeast, Myanmar to the southeast and the Bay of Bengal to the south. Hilly terrain covers only some 12% of total land area in the north/northeast and southeast, with average elevations of 244m and 610m, respectively.1 Most of the country lies below 12 metres in altitude and c. 80% consists of floodplains and wetlands created by the more than 300 rivers and channels that flow through it, including the major river systems of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna. Approximatey two-thirds of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta, which covers c. 80,000 km2, is located in Bangladesh, the rest in neighbouring West Bengal state of India.
2. Climate is subtropical and heavily influenced by the southeast monsoon, which generates significant rainfall and high humidity. Four seasons can be distinguished: a hot humid, rainy monsoon season from June to September; a progressively cooler, drier season from October to November; a cool dry winter from December to February; and a progressively hotter and drier summer from March to May. Average annual temperatures vary between 18-290C. However, maximum summer temperatures vary between 380C-410C, while winter temperatures generally vary more, by between 100C at night and 16-200C in the day. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,429 mm to 4,338 mm, with the bulk of annual rainfall (c. 80%) occurring during the monsoon.
3. Bangladesh’s major natural ecosystems include terrestrial forest ecosystems, coastal and marine ecosystems and inland freshwater ecosystems. Wetlands, which include both inland and coastal systems, and a variety of different types of lakes, mudflats, mangrove forests and other ecological systems, are the country’s most significant natural ecosystem. Forest cover had declined by more than 90% over the past 100 years and per capita forest area is amongst the lowest in Asia.2 Although some 2.56 million ha of land is classified as forests (according to Forestry Sector Master Plan 1993), representing 17.8% of the country’s total area, according to the latest FAO Forest Resource Assessment, only around 11% of the country is under tree cover, while another 20% is classified as ‘other wooded land’, which includes trees within homestead farms and other agricultural tree crops (FAO 2010). Natural and planted mangroves form an important part of the coastal zone. Natural mangroves cover an estimated 601,700 ha (representing 37.6% of all classified state-owned forest land) and occur mainly in the Sunderbans Reserve on the western part of the coast, a globally renowned transboundary national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mangrove plantations cover some 201,142 ha, but the erosion and accretion balance result in substantial loss of coverage and represent 9.2% of all classified state-owned forest land.3
4. For administrative purposes, Bangladesh is divided into seven Divisions, which are further divided into 64 Zillas or Districts. The country’s capital is Dhaka. Rural areas have another two administrative tiers below the District level, namely Upazillas (Subdistricts) and Union Parishads.
1 UN-REDD Programme 2012. Bangaldesh REDD+ Readiness Road Map. Draft. April 2012. 2 MoEF/GoB 2012. Rio +20 National Report on Sustainable Development. 3 World Bank 2013
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The latter are further divided into electoral wards. The ten largest cities are administered by eleven City Corporations while other urban areas have Pourashavas or Municipalities. There are currently nearly 488 Upazillas, 4,550 Unions and 311 Pourashavas. All administrative tiers below the Division level have elected Parishads or Councils including some reserved seats for women. Upazila and Union Parishads generally cover populations of around 260,000 and 27,000 on average.4
5. Bangladesh has a population of nearly 160 million people and with 1,015 people/km2 on average, population densities are among the highest in the world. Although fertility rates have declined greatly, the population is projected to reach 220 million by 2040 at the current population growth rate of 1.34% per annum.5 Around 75% of the population is rural and a significant proportion (c. 35 million or 22%)6 lives in the 710 km coastal belt along the Bay of Bengal, which covers over 47,200 km2 or 32% of total land area.7 Over 98% of the population is Bengali and predominantly Bangla-speaking, the rest being mainly indigenous tribes from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Some 90% of the population are Muslim, the rest are mainly Hindu, Christian or Buddhist.
6. With a per capita GNI of US$838 in 2012-13, Bangladesh is still among the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of the world. Nonetheless, the country has made tremendous progress in economic and social development in recent decades and is on track to achieve most of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In 2013, Bangladesh has moved one point higher placing it in the 146th position out of 187 countries in the world. Bangladesh is among the 18 countries of the wold including China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam that have been making great strides in the human development sectors.8 Noteworthy development achievements include: sustained and remarkably resilient economic growth over the last decade (on average 5.8% per annum growth in GDP); reductions in the poverty headcount ratio from nearly 48.9% in 2000 to 31.5% in 20109 and an estimated 26% in 2015 (2.5% lower than the MDG goal10) and achieving gender parity in primary and secondary education at the national level (with regional variations).11 However, an estimated 50 million people still live in poverty, including a significant proportion living in extreme poverty (c. 17.6% of the total population12). More than two-thirds of the rural population is landless or effectively landless (i.e. own less than 0.2 hectares of land). Some 50% of the population depend directly on a rapidly degrading natural resource base for their livelihoods and various subsistence products including food, fodder and fuel. Reducing maternal mortality and chronic malnutrition also remains a challenge.13
7. In terms of landuse, Bangladesh remains a predominantly agrarian nation. The Ganges- Brahmaputra-Meghna delta is not only the world’s largest and most populous delta, but also one
4 Commonwealth Local Government Forum. 2013. 5 MoEF/GoB 2012 Rio +20 National Report on Sustainable Development; World Bank 2010. Country Assistance Strategy for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh For the Period FY11-14. 6 Population figure from World Bank. 2010. Country Assistance Strategy for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh For the Period FY11-14. 35 million said to be in coastal belt: 35/160 =22% 7 PDO-ICZMP, 2004. Where Land Meets the Sea: A Profile of the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh; and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2001 Census 8 UNDP 2013. 9 BBS Household Survey 2010 10 Bangladesh Poverty Assessment Report, World Bank, June 2013 11 World Bank 2010. Country Assistance Strategy for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh For the Period FY11-14 12 BBS Household Survey 13 MoEF/GoB 2012. Rio +20 National Report on Sustainable Development; UNDP 2011 UNDP Country Programme for Bangladesh (2012-16); World Bank 2010. ibid
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 10 of its most fertile. Agriculture occupies nearly 76% of total land area and cropping is dominated by rice. Bangladesh once had over 12,000 varieties of rice but has lost more than 50% of these over the last 50 years.14 Annual rice production has nearly trebled between 1971 and 2007/8 as a result of being transformed from low input subsistence systems to intensive farming systems that rely on new rice varieties and a greater level of inputs, including irrigation during the dry winter season. Fisheries, aquaculture and salt production are also important economic activities in the coastal zone along with seasonal floodplain cultivation. Over 60 million people are estimated to rely on aquatic resources to varying extent. An estimated 1 million people are fulltime fishers, while a further 11 million undertake part-time fishing. A major proportion of people’s protein requirements is met through fish and crustaceans, which are of particular importance for the nutritional security of the poor. 15
8. While agriculture still employs the largest proportion of the labour force (c. 47.3%16), its contribution to GDP has been declining and is now only around 13.6%17. The fisheries sector is estimated to employ around 5% of the workforce and contributed some 3.56% of GDP in 2012- 1318, it also makes a significant contribution to export earnings.19 Over 50% of GDP is generated through the services sector and a little under 30% by the industrial sector.20 Remittances and the export-led garment industry have been the twin drivers of the Bangladesh economy in recent years. These now account for over two-thirds of export earnings.
9. While the Bangladeshi economy has proved resilient to date, it remains vulnerable to the effects of the global economic downturn since it relies heavily on developed country markets for its export garments as well as to other local shocks, particularly the impacts of major natural disasters or sudden increases in the prices of food and fuel as happened in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
10. Bangladesh is also one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world and the most disaster-prone of the LDCs. The country is frequently subjected to cyclones, extreme weather events and storm surges, which in turn often lead to riverine and coastal flooding and saline intrusion and exacerbate existing problems of coastal erosion. Of the 250,000 deaths resulting from cyclones worldwide between 1980-2000, 60% occurred in Bangladesh.21 Cyclones are especially common before and after the monsoon, in May and October, respectively. Recent well- known events include supercyclone Sidr in 2007 and cyclone Ayla in 2009. However, in the past two hundred years, the coastal zone has been affected by at least 70 major cyclones, of which 40 have occurred since 1948. The most serious ones in terms of fatalities were in 1970, with 250,000 deaths and 1991, with 138,882 deaths.22 Eighty percent of annual rainfall occurs during the monsoon months and flooding is a major recurring problem that affects between 30-50% of the country each year. Between 1991 and 2000, 93 major disasters were recorded, resulting in nearly 200,000 deaths and causing at least US$5.9 billion in damage with severe losses to
14 MoEF/GoB 2012. Rio +20 National Report on Sustainable Development; 15 Parveen and Faisal 2001 in MoEF 2004. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Bangladesh. 16 BBS Labour Force Survey 2010 17 BBS 2013, using GDP at current price 18 BBS 2013 19 Parveen and Faisal 2001 in MoEF 2004. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Bangladesh 20 Bertlelsmann Stiftung, 2012. BTI 2012 - Bangladesh Country Report. http://www.bti-project.org; UN-REDD 2012 Programme 2012. Bangaldesh REDD+ Readiness Road Map. Draft. April 2012 21 World Bank 2010. Country Assistance Strategy for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh For the Period FY11-14. 22 According to the statistics of Disaster Management Bureau of GoB. http://www.dmb.gov.bd/pastdisaster
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 11 agriculture and infrastructure. Climate change, which is discussed separately in Section 1.2 and in Annex 1, is likely to further exacerbate Bangladesh’s existing vulnerability to natural hazards.
11. Better disaster preparedness strategies and practices have reduced the numbers of deaths due to disasters, but the loss of assets and livelihoods remains very high (estimated to be as much as 0.5-1% of annual GDP23 while the damages from Cyclone Didr were $1.7 billion or 2.6% of GDP), with women being most acutely affected. There is concern that continued population increase, environmental degradation and climate change could undermine further development and reverse recent hard-won achievements.
The climate change induced problem
12. As a low-lying country with a large area of deltaic floodplains, Bangladesh is well-recognized as being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While the country has become better equipped to deal with climate-related variability and disasters over the past decades, climate change effects are projected to change the frequency, intensity and location of existing climate hazards and thus challenge people’s existing coping mechanisms. Multiple natural disasters compounded with other vulnerability factors have particularly marginalized coastal communities, who are among the poorest in the country, and at the same time slowed down social and economic development processes.
13. Observed long-term temperature changes within Bangladesh suggest an annual rate of temperature increase of 0.040C during monsoonal periods. A significant increasing trend in the frequency of cyclones over the Bay of Bengal during cyclone months has also been observed in recent decades24. Fishing in the Bay of Bengal, a key source of income and protein for the poor, as well as important contributor to GDP, is becoming more and more risky and unsafe due to increasingly erratic, harsh weather conditions at sea. Cyclones with storm surges and associated precipitation inundate coastal polders and cause water logging in areas around the coastal embankment, affecting agricultural production including aquaculture and salt production.25 Available climate change models suggest that the intensity of super cyclonic events will increase over the coming decades, with increasing risks to coastal populations and livelihoods from high winds and storm surges.
14. Those living in coastal areas are also especially vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise (SLR), coastal erosion and salinization. Climate change projections suggest that a rise in global temperature of 40C is likely to raise sea level by 100 cm by 2100, which would inundate 15% of the country’s land area and displace tens of millions of people. Meanwhile, historical tidal data from various coastal measurement stations suggest that the rate of SLR in Bangladesh is many orders of magnitude higher than the global mean projected rate of SLR over coming decades (cf: 4.0 mm/year at Hiron Point, 6.0 mm/year at Char Changa, and 7.0 mm/year at Chittagong). A 45 cm SLR, could result in the inundation of 10-15% Bangladesh’s land by 2050, resulting in over 25
23 Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change in Bangladesh published by World Bank in 2010 24 For example, see SM M. Rana, Md. Kamruzzaman, M.A. Rajib and Md. M. Rahman. (2011). Changes in Cyclone Pattern with Climate Change Perspective in the Coastal Regions of Bangladesh. Environmental Research, Engineering and Management. No. 2(56), P. 20-27. The authors report that the last 52 years saw a five-fold increase in the number of cyclones compared with the previous 57 years. 25 Ahmed 2005a; Institute for Water Modelling (IWM) and Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) 2007. Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Community and Livelihoods; salt pans are located mainly in Chittagong & Cox’s Bazaar Districts
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 12 million climate refugees from the coastal districts.26 With a 1m rise in sea level, the Sundarbans, the world’s largest natural mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, would likely be lost, which would affect not only unique coastal ecosystems and their biodiversity, but also thousands of poor households that currently rely on a range of ecosystem services supplied by the Sundarbans.
15. Existing problems of saline intrusion would be further aggravated by SLR and high winds, which would result in seawater overtopping existing coastal protection measures such as embankments and submerging polders with disastrous consequences for local agriculture and livelihoods.27 Salt water from the Bay of Bengal is already reported to have penetrated 100 km or more along tributary channels during the dry season in past years.28 Approximately, 1.02 million ha of arable lands have been affected to varying degrees by soil salinity, and vast areas of croplands in the lower estuary of the coast remain fallow during the dry (rabi) season due to high salinity.29
16. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) is acutely conscious of the country’s vulnerability to climate change. Current and future climate-related risks to Bangladesh and key areas of vulnerability have been analyzed in the country’s Initial National Communication (INC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 2005 National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), which was further updated in 2009. A more detailed climate risk profile for Bangladesh is provided in Annex 1.
Coastal afforestation & reforestation on newly accreted Char lands
17. Bangladesh has nearly five decades of experience of coastal afforestation and reforestation, including on offshore islands and newly accreted lands. Coastal plantations were originally planted mainly to protect coastal populations against tidal bores, cyclones and storm surges with the first plantations developed in 1966 in the intertidal zone outside the coastal embankment.30 However, some of the additional values of such plantations soon became apparent, notably their potential to speed up the stabilization of newly accreted lands, increase the productivity of estuarine waters, and protect interior agricultural land from saline intrusion.
18. Stabilization of newly accreted lands, known locally as chars (or chaurs), has become an increasingly important driver of coastal afforestation given the acute shortage of land in this densely populated, agrarian country. Active delta-building occurs mainly in the Meghna estuary, which is located in the central part of the coastal zone. Sediment discharged here by the three major rivers flowing into the delta, the Ganges in particular, but also hundreds of lesser rivers, contributes to delta formation through the accumulation of fertile alluvial soils. As sediments are deposited in the nearshore zone, they are reworked and redistributed by wave and tide action to form new land in the form of sand bars, mud banks and islands, or to increase the area of existing land through sediment deposition along mainland beaches.31 Over the past couple of hundreds of
26 Climate Change Cell, DoE, Bangladesh 27 CEGIS, 2006. Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Landuse Suitability and Adaptation Options, Final Report 28 IPCC, 2007. Climate Change 2007 29 Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI), Bangladesh 30 I. U. Ahmad 2012. Status of mangrove plantations in the living delta: an overview of the coastal afforestation experience of Bangladesh. In: Macintosh, D.J., Mahindapala, R., Markopoulos, M. (eds) (2012). Sharing Lessons on Mangrove Restoration. Bangkok, Thailand: Mangroves for the Future and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 31 Ahmed 2012 ibid; Ir. F. Carvajal, M.Z.H. Khna, Md. M. Rahman 2011. Land Formation and Erosion in the Estuary. Chapter 2. In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 13 years, net gain in land (ie after adjusting for land lost due to natural coastal erosion) has varied between 13 km2 per year to up to 25 km2 per year more recently, between 2000-2008.32 While the net gain in land through natural accretion may appear relatively modest, it remains significant given the huge demand for land in Bangladesh. Thus, the Government of Bangladesh has invested greatly in afforestation of newly accreted lands in order to further trap sediments and speed up natural processes of accretion and land stabilization.
Figure 1 Graphical representation of accretion stages and location of coastal communities inside and outside the embankment in Bangladesh
19. The process of accretion is generally categorized into five phases based on level and duration of inundation. New land that is formed through natural accretion is fully inundated (high frequency of inundation or HFI; Type-I inundation) and only very few mangrove species such as Sonneratia apetala (Keora) and Avicennia officinalis (Baen) are suitable for plantation in these areas that are submerged continuously. As these pioneer species trap sediments and raise the soil, the level and period of inundation decreases. Depending on the duration of inundation, older chars are categorized into Type-II to V with the level of inundation ranging from 12, 9, 6 and 3 months of inundation in a year. Figure 1 depicts a typical char land with the white space showing new areas of accretion.
Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka. 32 Ahmed 2012 ibid; Carvajal et al. 2011 ibid
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20. Legally, all newly accreted lands along the coasts and in the rivers, are classified as khas land, i.e. state-owned land belonging to the Ministry of Land (MoL) intended for redistribution to poor and landless households. In the case of coastal chars, these are leased to the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for planting mangroves for a period of up to 20 years to stabilize the land.33 Until recently, once the land has been stabilized, it had to be returned to MoL for redistribution to the landless and other marginal groups through the District administration. However, a government standing order issued in 2011 (partly as the result of the first LDCF- financed CBACC project’s work) states that 50% of coastal mangrove plantations are to remain as permanent greenbelts to act as protective barriers against cyclones and sea surges. Furthermore, these permanent greenbelts are to be gazetted as reserved forests (i.e. under the jurisdiction of the BFD). A new draft act to ensure this standing order becomes permanently enshrined in national law, the Coastal Zone Declaration, Protection and Management Act, 2011 is currently being prepared through a process spearheaded by the CBACC project.
21. Between 1961-2010, 176,495 ha of coastal mangrove plantations were established by the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) of MoEF through various Government programmes and projects (see Table 1 below).34 These were mainly established in the more exposed central coastal zone, scattered over various on- and offshore areas.35 Around 80% of these plantations consist of Keora (Sonneratia apetala), about 15% of Baen (Avicennia officinalis), the rest consisting of Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), Goran (Ceriops dacandra), Sunadri (Heritiera formes) and Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis).36
Table 1 Major Coastal Afforestation Programmes undertaken by BFD since 1960-61 Programmes Years 1 Afforestation in the coastal belt and offshore islands 1960–61 to 1964–65 2 Afforestation in the coastal belt and offshore islands 1965–66 to 1969–70 Afforestation Project in the coastal regions of Chittagong, 3 1974–75 to 1979–80 Noakhali, Barisal and Patuakhali 4 Mangrove Afforestation Project 1980–81 to 1984–85 5 Second Forestry Project 1985–86 to 1991–92 6 Forest Resources Management Project 1992–93 to 2001–02 7 Extended Forest Resources Management Project 2002–03 to 2003–04 8 Coastal Green Belt Project 1995–96 to 2001–02
33 The only exception is land that has reformed where there was previously private property within 30 years of ownership. 34 I.U. Ahmad 2011. Forestry Development in Coastal Areas. Chapter 4 In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka. 35 Ahmad 2012; Md. Mozaharul Islam, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Divisional Forest Officer, Sundarbans West Forest Division, Khulna, Bangladesh: Appendix 3 of Country papers/presentations; Coastal forest rehabilitation and management in Bangladesh 36 Saenger, P & Siddiqi, NA 1993, 'Land from the sea: The mangrove afforestation program of Bangladesh', Ocean and Coastal Management, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 23-39. http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1646&context=esm_pubs
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9 Coastal Char Land Afforestation Project 2005–05 to 2009–10 10 Management Support Project for Sundarbans Reserve Forest 2005–06 to 2009–10 Source: Islam M. 2006. The Country papers; Coastal forest rehabilitation and management in Bangladesh Coastal Forest Rehabilitation Workshop, Bangkok, Thailand.
Figure 2 Coastal Forest Divisions and Areas of Natural and Plantation Forest in Southern Bangladesh
Source: Forest Department, November 2004
22. To date, both the retention of afforested land as forest and its redistribution after the stabilization of newly accreted lands, have been beset with a number of problems of ecological and anthropogenic origin. The success of afforestation and reforestation efforts has been highly variable due to a range of institutional, technical and socio-economic factors that have affected their long-term sustainability. An estimated 33% of plantations developed between 1961-2010 have failed due to erosion and encroachment. Furthermore, the quality of the plantations that were successfully established (c. 119,000 ha) is variable due to both ecological and anthropogenic factors. The former include cyclone wind damage as well as loss of trees due to
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 16 pests (eg the Keora stem borer) and disease. Gaps in plantations do not always regenerate naturally, especially in more mature monoculture plantations, where conditions naturally become less favourable for the original pioneer species as land stabilizes and inundation patterns changes37. Plantations and natural mangroves have also proved vulnerable to a variety of anthropogenic threats from livestock grazing, mainly buffalo, to extraction of timber and outright conversion of plantations to other land uses such as agriculture, aquaculture and salt production. For example, some 600 ha of plantation have been lost to encroachment in Noakhali Coastal Afforestation Division in recent years.38 Locally powerful elites often play a large role in the appropriation of newly accreted lands and degradation and loss of plantations. Both ecological and anthropogenic threats are discussed further in Section 1.4
23. As a result of these threats, there has been concern about how to maintain a sufficient area of intact coastal greenbelt for the continued protection of coastal populations against natural hazards, particularly in the context of a changing climate. Recent climate-related disasters have further accentuated the value of maintaining natural ecosystem buffers such as mangroves to strengthen coastal resilience to climatic and other natural hazards such as tsunamis.39,40,41,42 The 2002 super cyclone, which hit Orissa State in India with a speed of 310 km/hr for eight hours, devastated coastal areas without mangroves.43 Similarly, loss of life and damage to infrastructure arising from Cyclone Sidr and Ayla are reported to have been significantly lower in areas protected by coastal forests. Similar positive effects have been observed for lesser storms.
24. A number of limitations have been identified in historical approaches to coastal afforestation and reforestation in Bangladesh. First, while only a few pioneer species are suitable for planting on newly accreted coastal lands, there is need to transform these predominantly monoculture plantations subsequently into more ecologically resilient, mixed species plantations. Second, to date, the engagement of local communities in coastal afforestation and reforestation has been largely limited to providing labour for limited periods while the plantations are being established. Once the afforestation/reforestation work is completed, local communities have little involvement in the maintenance or management of these plantations and little incentive to do so. Third, the BFD is only given a budget to protect new plantations for two years after planting and also has limited number of Forest Guards for patrolling and protection: each Forest Guard is responsible for protecting over 1,000 ha of new plantation. Last but not least, there are competing claims on newly accreted land and areas of new plantation from powerful vested interests. These factors
37 Increasing gaps and loss of trees due to pests are often unreported so accurate figures are hard to obtain. However, as reported later in the document, some estimates show that 50-80% of original forests can be lost. 38 I. U. Ahmad 2012. Status of mangrove plantations in the living delta: an overview of the coastal afforestation experience of Bangladesh. In: Macintosh, D.J., Mahindapala, R., Markopoulos, M. (eds) (2012). Sharing Lessons on Mangrove Restoration. Bangkok, Thailand: Mangroves for the Future and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN; There are 4 Coastal Afforestation Divisions: Noakhali (34,223 ha), Bhola (12,420 ha), Patuakhali (9,848 ha), and Chittagong (20,042 ha). 39 Kathiresan and Rajendran, 2005 K. Kathiresan and N. Rajendran, Coastal mangrove forests mitigated tsunami, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 65:601–606. 40 Kerr, A.M., Baird, A.H., Campbell, S.J., 2006. Comments on ‘‘Coastal mangrove forests mitigated tsunami’’ by K. Kathiresan and N. Rajendran, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 2005; 65, 601-606. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 67, 539-541 41 Vermaat, J.E., Thampanya, U., 2006. Mangroves mitigate tsunami damage: a further response. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 69, 1-3. 42 Mazda, Y., Magi, M., Kogo, M., Hong, P.N., 1997. Mangrove on coastal protection from waves in the Tong King Delta, Vietnam. Mangroves and Salt Marshes 1, 127-135. 43 Kathiresan, K and Rajendran, N., 2003. Conservation and management of mangrove ecosystem in India, Seshaiyana 11(1): 1-4.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 17 are discussed further in Section 1.5.
25. The 2005 NAPA provides a compelling argument that risk reduction in coastal areas of Bangladesh can only be achieved if the maintenance of protective greenbelts is connected to tangible livelihood support and economic development options of communities living near such forests. Responding to this realization, the NAPA document of Bangladesh has identified the “reduction of climate change hazards through coastal afforestation with community participation” (p.24) as an adaptation priority, valued at 23 million USD. The Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP 2009), which presents a comprehensive (but unbudgeted) 10-year action plan (2009-2018) for both adaptation and mitigation, also identifies the expansion and strengthening of coastal greenbelts as a priority action to develop a natural defence line against cyclones.44 In addition, the Sixth Five Year Plan (FY 2011 – 2015) also underscores the need of afforestation and reforestation 250,000 ha of hill forest land, 40,000 ha of coastal areas and 7000 ha of plain land forest by 2015.
Root causes of climate change vulnerability in the coastal zone
Inherent Physical Vulnerability
26. Bangladesh is exceptionally vulnerable to the impacts of climate-related hazards by virtue of its geography, topography and climate. Around 80% of Bangladesh comprises low-lying floodplains located in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta, one of the world’s biggest deltas. Some 90% of the water from this basin flows into the Bay of Bengal through the lower Meghna Estuary, where the outflow is second only to that of the Amazon River.45 The Bay of Bengal is particularly prone to cyclone formation and accounts for 10% of tropical cyclones recorded worldwide.46
27. The country’s 710 km coastline is also extremely dynamic, particularly along the Meghna Estuary in the central part of the coast, with continually changing coastlines due to natural processes of erosion and accretion.47 Additionally, Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of upstream development and other actions as only some 7% of the total 1.72 million km2 catchment area of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers falls within the country’s borders, the rest falling within the territories of India (62%), China (18%), Nepal (8%) and Bhutan (4%).48 Thus, Bangladesh has very little control over actual water flows across its territory. For example, dry season water shortages have been compounded by reduction in water flows due to upstream development.
Threats arising from Demography, Poverty & Low Natural Resilience
44 BCCSAP estimates that the total costs of programmes in the action plan is $500 million in the first 2 years of implementation and in the order of $5 billion for 5 years. 45 I. U. Ahmad 2012. Status of mangrove plantations in the living delta: an overview of the coastal afforestation experience of Bangladesh. In: Macintosh, D.J., Mahindapala, R., Markopoulos, M. (eds) (2012). Sharing Lessons on Mangrove Restoration. Bangkok, Thailand: Mangroves for the Future and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 46 Ahmad 2012 ibid 47 S. Ahmad & K. de Wilde 2011. Setting the Stage. Chapter 1 In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka. 48 Ahmad 2012 ibid
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28. Bangladesh has among the world’s highest population densities, with approximately 1,015 people per km2, including very high coastal population densities. Coastal communities are more exposed to certain kinds of climate-related risks by virtue of living and working in close proximity to the sea. Of Bangladesh’s 19 coastal districts, 11 districts and 48 Upazilas, with an estimated population of 35 million, are particularly exposed to natural hazards. The most active part of the delta is the central region, which covers the Districts of Bhola, Lakshmipur and Noakhali, as well as parts of Patuakhali and Feni Districts. This area has an estimated population of 7.6 million, of which 6.5 million are classified as rural inhabitants and 1.1 million as urban.49 At current rates of growth, total population is projected to increase by another 60 million by 2040 and a significant proportion of that growth will be in the coastal zone (Section 1.1).
29. Acute rural poverty and widespread landlessness further compound vulnerability. For example, the proportion of landless and effectively landless (i.e. with less than 0.2 ha land) in the more exposed central coastal districts varies between 70-85% of the population, with some variation between Upazilas (Range: 35-85% landless and effectively landless).50 There is an almost constant flow of migration within the coastal districts as people who have been displaced by coastal erosion or other natural hazards move towards newly accreted areas in the hope of finding jobs or acquiring new land. Many are willing to face all manner of hardship and risks to do so. Additionally, there is seasonal migration for work from other parts of the country to the coast during the peak agricultural seasons, April-May and October-November, which also coincides with the cyclone season.51 Income level among populations in these areas is lower than the national average. For example, the average household income is BDT 3103 (approx. $46) per month in Noler, Caring and Nangulia Char of Noakhali district while the national average is BDT 11,47952.
30. Earthen coastal embankments have been built along the Bangladesh coast since the 1960s to protect against tidal waves and storm surges. (More permanent coastal defenses are only constructed to protect very high-value assets and important infrastructure and installations as these hard engineering solutions are much more costly to implement.) The embankments are now maintained by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) of the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and may be as far as 1-5 km inland depending on their original location. Those living inside the coastal embankment are more protected from sea-induced flooding, coastal erosion and other wave damage than those living outside the embankment on the seaward side. However, in certain areas, those living on the landward side of the embankment have also been experiencing rain-induced flooding and water logging. While this has resulted in efforts to improve drainage along the landward side of the embankment, inland flooding remains a severe problem in some areas, one that serves to greatly reduce local resilience through damage and loss of livelihood assets including salination of land as well as increased health- related risks from stagnant water.
31. The exact number of people living outside the embankment is not known, but an estimated 3 million live on char lands, where population densities can be as high as 1,000/km2. People also occupy a large number of the country’s 70-odd marine and estuarine islands on a seasonal
49 S. Ahmad & K. de Wilde 2011. Setting the Stage. Chapter 1 In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka. 50 BBS 2010 (Data from MR) 51 Khan n.d. 52 CDSP-IV project document
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 19 basis.53 In Hatiya Upazila, for example (one of this project’s target Upazilas), nearly 200,000 people, or 44% of the Upazila’s total population of over 452,000, live outside the embankment. At the Union-level, the proportion of the population living outside the embankment ranges between 20-100% across Hatiya’s 12 Unions, including 3 unions where 100% of the population lives outside the embankment.54 In Naltona Union of Barguna Sadar Upazila, one of the project sites of the 1st LDCF project, some 2,350 people or 13% of the population of 18,180 (Population Census, 2001) are estimated to be residing outside the embankment.55 Figure 3 below depicts the extent of coastal embankment and settlements (in brown shade) outside the embankment in Naltona. Mangrove plantations typically take place in the areas outside the embankment (notice the extent of land outside the embankment). Non-mangrove plantations take place both inside and outside the embankment depending on the level of land stability (outside embankment) and the type of tree species.
Figure 3 Estimated population living outside Naltona Union in Barguna Sadar Upazila
53 Ahmed & Wilde 2011. Ibid. 54 Statistics Office, Upazila Parishad Hatiya, from 2011 Government Census Data 55 Dr Nandy, pers. comm. 2013
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32. Maintenance of earthen embankments is beset with problems, particularly in the coastal zone where these are also exposed to erosion by wave action and changing water levels. In many areas, embankments along the foreshore disappear within a year or two as a result of erosion. There are attempts to strengthen earthen embankments locally for example by reinforcing these with cement concrete blocks, stone or wood retaining walls, sandbags (geobags) and of course coastal plantations to limited effect. One option that is proving successful in stabilizing earthen embankments in other countries is the use of long-rooted vegetation such as vetiver grass, but this has yet to be attempted in Bangladesh, although coastal climatic and soil conditions are favourable to growing vetiver grass.
33. Historically, the need for coastal embankments would have been much lower as coastal populations would also have been buffered to varying extents by natural mangroves, other wetland vegetation and other natural features. However, Bangladesh’s natural coastal ecosystems have undergone drastic changes over several decades as a result of population increase, land use change and other economic developments. For example, average population
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 21 density in 1947 was only 306/km2 and by 1971, it was still around 501/km2.56 Not surprisingly, Bangladesh has lost more than 90% of its natural forests over the last 100 years57 and the largest remaining single block of coastal forests is in the Sunderbans. More exposed coastal areas, have only patches of mainly planted mangroves, which cover a total area of some 132,000 ha (see Figure 2, Section 1.3).58 Additionally, the LDCF-financed CBACC project has also completed over 9,000 ha of coastal afforestation, bringing the total coastal forest cover up to c. 138,000 ha by 2013.
Threats arising from changing patterns of landuse, economic production and consumption
34. The coastal zone of Bangladesh plays an important part in the country’s national development. While GoB recognizes the importance of sustainable environmental management in this sensitive zone, there are many competing demands on land and other coastal and marine resources from multiple sectors as well as from individuals for both subsistence and economic production reasons. Coastal areas are used intensively for agriculture, settlements, shrimp farming and fisheries, salt production, industrial and infra-structural developments and tourism. Around 41% of the total coastal zone is cultivable, with rice production dominating production and contributing around 16% to total annual rice production in Bangladesh. Capture fisheries and more recently aquaculture are also important contributors to national GDP and export earnings and the latter now cover around 116,000 ha of the coastal zone representing 40% of all aquaculture ponds in Bangladesh.
35. The coastal zone is also home to 2 seaports and 3 Export Processing Zoness that have a number of valuable resources including 3 gas fields, mineral stocks and several gas blocks in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Expansion of economic activities across the coastal zone has resulted in large-scale clearing of forests, both natural and planted, as well as alteration of other ecological features that would have previously reduced people’s vulnerability to climate-related risks. For example, almost all of the mangrove forest in the vicinity of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar has already been cleared for other land uses.
56 Hossain et al. n.d. 57 MoEF/GoB 2012. Rio +20: National Report on Sustainable Development. 58 http://www.bforest.gov.bd/index.php/forest-category/mangrove-forests
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Figure 4 Landuse Map of Bangladesh (FAO 2007)
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36. Much of this coastal development, including industrial development, has been ad hoc and rarely takes into account environmental considerations and adaptation needs. Thus, unplanned coastal development and landuse change have also been major drivers of the increasing vulnerability of coastal populations over recent decades as these have contributed to coastal and marine environmental degradation through natural habitat loss, pollution and other negative impacts, thereby also reducing overall ecosystem resilience. Given the large numbers of poor people who rely directly on coastal and marine resources for their livelihoods and their immediate wellbeing, environmental degradation further increases people’s vulnerability to climate change impacts. Pressures on the coastal zone’s natural resource base are continuing to intensify as populations grow, and rates of production, consumption and waste production continue to rise. Bangladesh is also vulnerable to land use changes outside its borders, particularly the impacts of upstream developments and land modification in neighbouring countries as Bangladesh itself forms only a small part (c. 10%) of the region’s hydrological system.
Long-term solution and barriers to achieving the solution
37. Climate-related risks to coastal communities in Bangladesh are already serious and likely to be exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which is projected to increase the frequency of cyclones, storm surges and tidal waves as well as to cause SLR (Annex 1). To reduce the vulnerability of highly exposed coastal communities to such effects of climate change, the government’s efforts to build coastal greenbelts, which provide potentially cost-effective physical protection against high winds and storm surges, need to continue and expand so that greater areas of exposed coastal settlements are shielded from the sea by such natural greenbelts. Simultaneously, the current incentive structure created around establishing and maintaining the greenbelts, as perceived by coastal community members, needs to alter gradually, from one that predominantly focuses on the monetary incentive of daily, one-off labour at the time of plantation to one that places more emphasis on the longer-term multiple benefits of such forests.
38. Given the competing demands and anthropogenic pressures on coastal lands and forest resources, long-term sustainability of coastal greenbelts can be achieved only by shifting the way community members perceive the stream of benefits from maintaining these over alternative uses and they have security of tenure over these benefits through explicit acknowledgement of this in a formal government policy. In promoting longer-term engagement of coastal communities as stewards of coastal greenbelts, it is essential that both government officials and community members gain greater insights into different types of benefits from different stages of mangrove forest growth process. At the same time, efforts must be expanded to transform existing monoculture-driven mangrove forests, which generally produce limited volume and types of benefits, to more diverse ones producing multiple benefits.
39. It is also critical for the Government and communities to acknowledge that it is inevitable that residual climate risks – risks that still persist after feasible adaptation measures are in place – remain in coastal areas of Bangladesh especially from tropical cyclones, and that they are sufficiently prepared for such risks. Growing literature and empirical evidence suggest that efficient and effective dissemination of imminent risks is one of the prerequisites for disaster preparedness59, which is currently still limited in Bangladesh, and disproportionately so in coastal
59 See for example, United Nations. (2008). Disaster preparedness for effective response – Guidance and indicator package for implementing priority five of the Hyogo Framework. United Nations.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 24 areas. Effective disaster preparedness also involves tailored interventions to reduce risks imposed on livelihood assets and systems in particular localities under question.
40. In summary, in order to enhance climate resilience of coastal communities, there is need to greatly expand coastal mangrove forest cover as a natural buffer against extreme climate events while leveraging local communities as stewards of these forests. At the same time, residual climate risks need to be mitigated to the extent possible through enhanced preparedness to natural disasters. There are a number of barriers, however, that prevent GoB from attaining this long-term solution. These barriers are described below:
1.5.1 Limited level of livelihood diversification in coastal areas that drives communities to encroach and exploit coastal greenbelts
41. One of the most critical barriers that impede the establishment of sustainable coastal greenbelts is the limited level of livelihood diversification in coastal areas. Most residents in coastal Bangladesh are extremely poor and dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, most commonly agriculture and fishing. As climate change impacts become increasingly visible and sustaining such livelihoods becomes more and more difficult, these communities perceive coastal mangrove forests more as an immediate source of income substitute through exploitation rather than as something that potentially offers a protective buffer against natural calamities or a sustainable stream of income through new forms of management. This is not surprising since past afforestation efforts along the coasts rarely took into account the long-term livelihood needs of these communities. This has created a suboptimal equilibrium where the very people whose lives and livelihoods are to be protected by the greenbelts become a major threat to the integrity of these forests and thus their potential to strengthen local adaptive capacity.
42. To break this equilibrium, it is critical that more climate-resilient, diversified livelihood options are made available to these communities in a way that explicitly recognizes the need for maintaining the greenbelts to sustain such livelihood options. The CBACC project, for example, has demonstrated there are untapped opportunities for diversifying and/or increasing income- generating opportunities in areas that were previously considered unproductive, barren land through the introduction of various approaches including: the Fish-Fruit-Forest (FFF or Triple-F) model, in which the elevated dyke structure enabled production of fruit trees and the ditch enabled fish and duck rearing; mound plantations, which similarly enabled to grow fruit trees by raising the soils away from saline groundwater; the use of salt-tolerant rice varieties; and facilitating a shift from goat rearing to more climate-resilient duck and pigeon farming60.
43. As visually presented in Figure 5 in Section 2/Outcome 1, such a successful demonstration of alternative livelihood options in adjacent areas of coastal mangrove plantations is extremely rare. Furthermore, a limited level of demonstration and experience inevitably leads to limited dissemination of hands-on, technical know-how among community members and local government agencies making it difficult to replicate such a success more widely. This particular barrier to increasing climate resilience of communities through greater diversification of livelihoods in mangrove plantation sites will be overcome primarily through Output 1.1, which will support a range of strategies to increase the resilience of local livelihoods around new coastal afforestation and reforestation sites that are less than five years old. It is extremely important to demonstrate
60 It is equally critical for coastal communities to understand that these resilient livelihood options work more effectively in places where mangrove forests exist. The need to create such awareness is described later and addressed through several outputs, particularly Outputs 1.1. 2.3 and 3.1. However, as this is a cross-cutting issue additional outputs are likely to also include relevant elements of awareness generation on role of coastal forests in protecting local livelihoods.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 25 the future protective value of young mangrove forests by explicitly linking the maintenance of such plantations with livelihood opportunities as young mangrove forests typically have limited direct use value as a potential source of fuel, fodder and other NTFP. Thus it is hard for communities to recognize the full potential value of these forests.
1.5.2 Lack of coastal greenbelt species diversification
44. As newly accreted lands become more stabilized and ecological conditions change (soil type, frequency and duration of inundation, etc), these become increasingly unsuitable for the initial pioneer species such as Keora. Such conditions typically start to occur after 4-5 years of initial plantation. Mature Keora trees, which make up the majority of coastal plantations, are particularly susceptible to pests such as stem borer, which usually come from neighbouring agricultural land. This creates large gaps in monoculture plantations where pest infestations can spread quickly. These gaps can no longer be filled through new Keora saplings (i.e. through natural regeneration of Keora), as the ecological conditions that were originally suitable for Keora have changed. However, in the absence of a nearby source of alternative mangrove species suited to these changed ecological conditions, the gaps persist, become larger and/or are invaded by weed species. Losses of between 50-80% of planted trees due to pest infestations resulting in big gaps in greenbelt structures have been reported.61 Susceptibility to pests and diseases will be further aggravated by climate change. Thus, after a few years, mangrove plantations that were established with a handful of pioneer species require increasing levels of management to promote ‘artificial succession’ if they are to avoid such losses of trees.
45. The Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) has been experimenting with trial ‘model’ plantations for some years to explore the methods and benefits of establishing multispecies mangrove plantations. These are only possible on lands that are sufficiently stabilized and have a lower frequency and duration of inundation. Based on its research, BFRI recommend the following nine mangrove species in addition to Keora and Baen for mixed species plantation on stablized chars: Sundari (Heritiera fomes), Gewa (Excoecaria agllocha), Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis), Shingra (Cynometra ramiflora), Khalshi (Aegiceras corniculatum), Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), Hanthal (Phoenix paludosa), Goran (Ceriops dacandra) and Golpata (Nypa fruticans). Diversification with indigenous species offers a number of benefits including strengthening the natural resilience of the plantations to changes in environmental conditions such as climate change impacts as well as the potential for a selecting species of greater value to local communities. However, diversification of monoculture/low species diversity plantations through afforestation with multiple indigenous species is also a more complex and costly undertaking in terms of nursery raising of seedlings, transport, transplantation and immediate aftercare, partly because some species cannot be raised in nurseries, but must be harvested from the wild, notably in the Sunderbans, further adding to costs. To date, because of the costs and complexities of coastal forest diversification, there has been limited uptake by the BFD. Additionally, given that until recently, newly accreted lands given to BFD for afforestation were to be returned to MoL after 20 years, there has been little incentive for BFD to invest long-term in coastal forests. This, however, has recently changed as a result of the work of the LDCF- supported CBACC project (see below).
46. Output 1.2 seeks to build on the policy and technical achievements of CBACC and BFRI to overcome this particular barrier by further testing new strategies for mixed species diversification
61 See for example, Nandy, P., Alam, M.J., and Haider, M.R., 2004. Establishment of mangrove seed production area for Sonneratia apetala. Journal of Tropical Forest Science. 16(3): 363-368. Also Farid, ED of AF, during Inception Workshop
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 26 of coastal plantations at different stages of growth, both to increase the natural resilience of the coastal belt as well as to increase its potential to generate tangible benefits for local communities.
1.5.3 Limited local participation in coastal greenbelt management and insufficient incentives for communities to ensure their long-term maintenance
47. Coastal greenbelts have the potential to generate many benefits for local communities through increased protection from climate hazards as well as income through employment and a greater stream of benefits from natural resources. To date, however, the involvement of local communities in the establishment and management of coastal greenbelts has been largely limited to daily wage employment at the time of plantation establishment, which includes both nursery raising of seedlings and plantation establishment. This approach of community engagement inevitably creates a perception among vulnerable communities that the biggest benefits are derived at the time of plantation – through daily wage employment – with diminishing benefits from maintaining the greenbelts. There are several underlying causes for this barrier ranging from policy to socio-economic, and perception factors.
48. Bangladesh has been slowly moving towards greater participation of local communities in forestry since the introduction of the National Forestry Policy of 1994, which has sustainable development and poverty alleviation through people’s participation in forest protection and management amongst its objectives. Subsequently, the Forest (Amendment) Act 2000 and new Social Forestry Rules in 2004, amended in 2009 and 2011 (also see Section 2.1), have been instrumental in establishing rules about forestry-related benefit-sharing with local communities in general. So far, approximately BDT 2206.9 million (around US$28.3 million) has been shared among 110,589 participants as part of their benefit share62. However, these rules apply only to non-mangrove forests and have thus not benefited coastal communities other than through the daily wages earned at the time of planting coastal greenbelts as described above.63 A key reason for the non-application of benefit-sharing rules to mangroves is Government concern that it may not be able to enforce such rules and that existing primarily monoculture plantation or low-species diversity mangrove plantations do not generate a sufficient stream of tangible benefits, which directly relates to the barrier presented above.
49. At the same time, there are enormous incentives for local communities to encroach newly accreted lands given high population density, on-going population growth, the paucity of land in Bangladesh and lack of clarity about the tenure of newly accreted char lands. Migration to char lands often begins with relatively wealthier individuals sending herds of buffalo across to new chars along with a few cattle herders. While the BFD has some budget for protection of coastal plantation for the first two years, it simply does not have the resources or the manpower to protect plantations beyond that period or often even during that period, particularly against locally powerful elites.64 Plantations are especially vulnerable to disturbance in the first 3-4 years after their establishment, until their canopy closes.
62 Bangladesh Forest Department 2013. http://www.bforest.gov.bd/index.php/forest-management/social-forestry 63 A number of authors have also commented on the challenges of applying the Social Forestry Rules to achieve their intended purpose in non-coastal forests. 64 I.U. Ahmad 2012. Status of mangrove plantations in the living delta: an overview of the coastal afforestation experience of Bangladesh. In: Macintosh, D.J., Mahindapala, R., Markopoulos, M. (eds) (2012). Sharing Lessons on Mangrove Restoration. Bangkok, Thailand: Mangroves for the Future and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN; D.K. Choudry & M.A. Latif 2011. Land Settlement: The Process of Providing Land Titles. Chapter 8 In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka; World Bank 2013. CRPARP Project Appraisal Document.
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50. This presents a compelling case for the need to create an alternative competing incentive structure that promotes the long-term sustainability of coastal plantations. However, while Bangladesh has been moving towards increasingly participatory forest management, the BFD still has relatively little experience of empowering local communities to participate as equal partners in forest development and management.65 As in many other countries, this requires a major shift in institutional culture and operational practices that for centuries have been based primarily around a ‘command and control’ approach and developing the necessary skills to engage communities on an equal footing and build trust. Local communities too, will have to overcome their own capacity limitations if they are to be able to take responsibility for coastal forest management, including amongst other things, the ability to better survey, monitor and protect forests, engage with different types of stakeholders, and implement mechanisms that ensure equitable benefit-sharing.
51. The various policy, institutional and capacity barriers that currently combine to prevent the long-term maintenance of newly afforested lands will be addressed by the project through several outputs under Outcomes 1 and 2. Output 1.2 will support mixed species diversification trials in selected older mangrove plantations to demonstrate how potential benefit streams from coastal plantations could be further enhanced. All the outputs under Outcome 2 are targeted at removing the obstacles outlined above that currently prevent greater community support for the long-term maintenance of coastal greenbelts. Under Output 2.1, the project will build on and expand the concept of Co-Management Committees (CMCs) and village-level Forest Resources Protection Groups (FRPGs), which have already been used with some success in Bangladesh, as a key mechanism for supporting greater community participation in coastal greenbelt planning and decision-making. Output 2.2 focuses on achieving government agreement on forest-benefit sharing in coastal forests through a policy statement on forest-benefit sharing. Finally, Output 2.3 addresses the capacity gaps of local communities, BFD and other key government stakeholders to effectively support coastal greenbelt co-management and benefit-sharing with local communities.
1.5.4 Weak inter-sectoral coordination on coastal greenbelts
52. Given Bangladesh’s exceptional vulnerability to climatic hazards, the development and maintenance of a coastal greenbelt is a well-recognized national policy priority in Bangladesh. Thus, all government ministries and departments at national and subnational levels are expected to pay due attention to this special issue. However, there remains little effective coordination between key sector stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of coastal greenbelts. As is true in many countries, individual sector plans are prepared, funded and implemented largely in isolation from each other, thereby missing many opportunities to maximize synergies and complementarities or minimize duplications or contradictory actions. Afforestation of newly accreted lands is the responsibility of the BFD, which considers their primary goal to be the creation of an effective coastal greenbelt. The priority of the Ministry of Land, however, is to increase the area of land that is stabilized through afforestation for subsequent redistribution for other purposes, particularly to the very poor and the landless. The Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) of the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) has amongst other things responsibility for coastal zone management planning. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is responsible for coastal protection infrastructure, including over 5,000 km of earthen coastal embankments. The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) of the Ministry of
65 World Bank 2013 ibid
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Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) undertakes a range of activities to reduce disaster risk and prepare for an emergency response. Although newly accreted lands are used by multiple agents for multiple purposes, currently there is little coordination of these activities and sharing of good practices for, e.g. strengthening resilience to disasters. This is a lost opportunity to greatly enhance the integrity, effectiveness and sustainability of coastal greenbelts.
53. For example, the land either side of a coastal embankment up to 1 km distance of the embankment is under the control of the BWDB although encroachment by people is a major problem (Section 1.4). There is tremendous potential for utilising this land to further strengthen the adaptive value of coastal greenbelts by, for example, strengthening the embankment on the seaward side through planting appropriate species and by utilising land on the inside of the embankment to further diversify local livelihoods, potentially through schemes linked to protecting afforestation and reforestation outside the embankment. These measures would serve to reduce the vulnerability of coastal populations in several ways: first, the coastal greenbelts are in effect the first line of defence against cyclones, storm surges and SLR, while the coastal embankments serve as a potential second line of defence; second, utilising land on the seaward side of the embankment for afforestation or planting with soil-binding species and on the landward side for livelihoods diversification would prevent people encroaching this land; third, putting land to such alternative uses either side of the embankment will serve to strengthen the sustainability and effectiveness of the embankment itself. There are nearly 1,000 km of embankment along the sea- facing polders of Bangladesh, but only some c. 60 km are currently protected to varying extents by mangroves. Given that the BWDB does not have the mandate to actually maintain the embankments through regular repairs, but only to reconstruct them when completely damaged, such measures have the potential to greatly reduce people’s vulnerability to flooding as a result of reduced damage to embankments from wave-induced erosion and encroachment. To date, there have been limited efforts by BWDB and BFD to integrate coastal embankment and coastal greenbelt planning and management. WARPO too is not directly involved in supporting coastal greenbelt sustainability despite their mandate for coastal zone management planning. However, the World-Bank funded Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR), will be supporting some afforestation along the coastal embankment as part of a project on coastal embankment improvement.
54. Not all char land is suitable for establishing mangrove plantations and there are also limits to the protective functions of mangrove plantations, particularly in the early years. Thus, alternative and additional coastal protection strategies are needed to complement coastal greenbelts such as early warning systems and better local disaster preparedness planning and preparation. The latter in turn require support from the Disaster Management Departments and departments responsible for supporting different types of local livelihoods such as such as the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Fisheries and the Directorate of Livestock. However, again, there is little formal coordination between these departments to integrate coastal greenbelts into their plans and priorities for example, by providing complementary support mechanisms that reduce risks from extreme climatic events such as flood-proofing of communal infrastructure or providing targeted extension services to increase local capacity to select locally appropriate, climate resilient livelihood options.
55. The project will address the problem of weak intersectoral coordination on coastal greenbelts primarily through the establishment of multisectoral Co-Management Committees in selected upazilas under Output 2.1 and targeted capacity development of key actors within Co- Management Committees under Output 2.3. Additionally the project will be working closely with different government sectors to deliver other Outputs, including notably the Department of Disaster Management under Outputs 3.1 and 3.2. This too will serve to strengthen awareness
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 29 across key sectors about the adaptive potential of coastal greenbelts and the need - and options - for greater intersectoral coordination to promote local climate resilience.
1.5.5 Limited capacity for early warning dissemination on the ground in coastal areas to protect lives and livelihood assets
56. While the establishment and long-term maintenance of coastal greenbelts is a cost-effective way of reducing the vulnerability of millions of coastal community members to future climate impacts, it is important to recognize that there will be residual damages from climate-induced natural disasters that will continue to threaten the lives and livelihoods of coastal people. Nonetheless, to date, existing programmes on disaster management in Bangladesh were largely focused on disaster response and relief planning rather than on disaster prevention and early warning services in the context of climate change risks. The GoB’s long-standing support to Cyclone Preparedness Programme and the multidonor-funded Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP), implemented by UNDP and now in its second phase, are almost the only large-scale initiatives that place more emphasis on disaster risk management and reduction. Most notably, the CPP has, over many decades, established a network of volunteers who play an important role in disseminating early warning information and search and rescue; and the CDMP has helped to develop the country’s early warning capacity. As a result of CDMP support, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) now has the technical ability to increase lead time from three to five days although further improvements in the accuracy of forecasting are needed. Similarly, with CDMP-II support, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has acquired enhanced computing capability and high-speed internet facility. This, combined with improvements in BMD’s Storm Surge Unit’s technical capacity, has resulted in faster download and analysis of satellite data in shorter period of time (down from 2 hours to 10 minutes). The result of these improvements is faster dissemination of imminent meteorological risks with improved accuracy.
57. Despite the progress on early warning capacity made in the CDMP, however, this information does not always reach communities living in more remote areas such as in and around the newly accreted coastal lands. CDMP-II is currently assisting and expanding a network of volunteers, which was established in the GoB’s Cyclone Preparedness Programme. However, CDMP does not have the capacity to cover all parts of the country.
58. Lack of such early warning information particularly in coastal areas greatly increases people’s vulnerability to climate risks as it reduces their ability to take appropriate action in relation to their own safety and their livelihood assets by knowing whether they need to relocate to an emergency shelter and what moveable assets to take with them. Existing capacity gaps in early warning will be addressed in and around seven target Upazilas in which coastal mangrove afforestation is taking place through Output 3.1, which focuses on increasing both short-term and longer-term capacity. At the same time, Output 3.2 will focus on providing concrete protective measures for key livelihood assets against residual climate risks that the coastal greenbelt and existing embankment alone are not capable of mitigating.
59. The foregoing discussions (Sections 1.5.1 to 1.5.5) present various inter-related threats to the sustainability of coastal greenbelts and the barriers that prevent the GoB from addressing or removing such threats at present. The challenge for the GoB is compounded by the fact that the underlying drivers of these threats change as mangrove forests mature over time and thus the appropriate actions to counter these threats must also evolve accordingly. This project has been designed to specifically assist the GoB to overcome these barriers as well. The following table
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 30 summarizes how some of the underlying drivers of threats alter over time and how the proposed LDCF project envisages addressing them:
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Table 2 Evolution of underlying drivers of threat to coastal forests and proposed project interventions to overcome existing barriers
Year Status of Potential benefits Threat to the forests Barriers1 Project intervention mangroves from mangrove forests 1-5 Pioneer species of Pioneer species Speculative land Poverty and Alternative livelihood Keora and Baen offer very limited grabbing (often lack of options presented in planted to stabilize benefits especially organized by local alternative areas adjacent to land. Stabilization in early stages of elites) by people in livelihood forests and explicitly starts to occur but growth; Livelihood search of future jobs drives people linked to roles and land still options limited and land-based to settle newly responsibilities for forest unsuitable for under the economic production. accreted lands. stewardship through livelihood business-as-usual Grazing by cattle. community activities. conditions management groups 5-15 Land is almost Thinning of older Clearing of Keora Poverty and Establish a benefit- stabilized; gaps Keora trees can and Baen for lack of benefit- sharing agreement start to emerge as be used for fuel. if agricultural activities sharing between government Keora susceptible enrichment or in search for fuel agreement and local communities to pests, but no planting is done, wood drives further for selective exploitation natural other mangrove land clearing of coastal greenbelt regeneration as species start to and natural resources ecological offer more benefits encroachment.. conditions have changed and no longer suited to pioneer species. 20- Forest is mature, Monoculture Ecological Poverty and Demonstrate potential but gaps continue plantations degradation and loss lack of benefit- stream of benefits that to grow if no continue to yield of natural resilience of sharing options can be generated diversification few benefits to coastal forests drives further through forest /enrichment local communities. compounded by land clearing diversification through planting has taken Diversified continuing and mixed species trials and place. plantations anthropogenic encroachment. assessments of existing however can now degradation and loss multispecies plantations. generate multiple economic benefits ranging from thatch and other NTFP
Notes: 1) A constant underlying barrier is that BFD lacks capacity to adequately protect or enforce existing laws regarding coastal forest protection beyond the first two years of plantation establishment. It is generally accepted that seeking to merely develop capacity for improved enforcement through additional staff and equipment is unsustainable; the project approach focuses on removing this barrier by creating the right incentives to promote greater voluntary compliance with rules designed to maintain coastal forest adaptive capacity in the long-term.
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Stakeholder baseline analysis
60. Key stakeholders with a major direct role in this project were identified and consulted at different stages during the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase in order to obtain their inputs and feedback on project design. The project has been designed to scale-up the achievements of the Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation (CBACC) project, Bangladesh’s first LDCF-financed project, and to meet the additional costs of strengthening the resilience of new coastal greenbelts that will be established under the recently- approved Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation (CRPAR) Project funded through the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF). Thus, many of this project’s key stakeholders, particularly at the national level, are the same as for the CBACC-financed project. The project will also build on the new institutional relationships developed by CBACC at both national and local levels.
61. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) will take the lead in coordinating with other stakeholders and overseeing the implementation of the project. The MoEF will, amongst other things, host the Project Management team and be responsible for collaborating at the national level with other government ministries and departments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and research institutions through the Inter-ministerial Committee on Climate Change. The MoEF will bring the Bangladesh Forest Department (FD) as the Responsible Party for Outcome 1 as the FD is also the focal agency for the CRPAP project. Other important government stakeholders include the Ministry of Land (MoL), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL), the Department of Disaster Management of the Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR) and the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR).
62. Major stakeholders outside the capital Dhaka, include members of local government, at District, Upazila, Union and Ward levels, both civil servants and elected officials, as well as local communities in the project target areas. The latter were selected through consultations with the CBACC project team, Bangladesh Forest Department, the World Bank and Arannayk Foundation (Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, created in 2003 through a joint initiative of GoB and US Government under the provisions of US Tropical Forest Act 1998), which will be implementing the Alternative Livelihoods component of the BCCRF-funded CRPAR project (Section 2.3.2).
63. Ensuring complementarity and additionality with the CRPAR project and other major baseline projects, avoiding duplication with CBACC, targeting the most vulnerable communities and areas and maximizing project impacts were among the key criteria guiding the selection of project target areas. Thus, this LDCF-supported project will work in at least seven upazilas in four coastal districts covered by the CRPAR project, namely in Barguna, Bhola, Noakhali and Patuakhali Districts66. CBACC is already working in Barguna, Bhola, Patuakhali and Noakhali districts, but
66 When the project concept was initially formulated, it was envisaged that the LDCF project would work in all 19 coastal districts of Bangladesh (as stated in the approved PIF of December 2011). This was based on the BCCRF-financed CRPAR project’s preliminary work plan at the time. Since then CRPAR project has reduced the number of districts targeted to nine and will only undertake coastal mangrove afforestation in four of these excluding the hill districts of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar. As project interventions are closely aligned with baseline investments by the CRPAR project, it was decided during the project preparation phase to focus on the same four non-hilly coastal districts (which are among the most vulnerable costal districts in Bangladesh) and those Upazilas where there would be no overlap with the Aranayk Foundation, which is implementing the Alternative Livelihoods component of the CRPAR Project. While the geographic focus of the project has reduced, the total number of target households remains the same and thus the overall scale of intended impact with LDCF support remains the same.
UNDP Environmental Finance Services Page 33 this project will work mainly in different Upazilas from the CBACC project other than Hatiya Upazila (see Table 3 and Annex 5 for further details).
64. At the subnational level, the District Environment and Forest Development Committee (DEFDC), the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) and Upazila Development Coordination Committee (UDCC) along with the Upazila-level staff of key line agencies such as Bangladesh Forest Department, Directorate of Agriculture and the Department of Disaster Management are particularly key stakeholders, who will be involved in the implementation of different activities at local level in line with their respective mandated roles and responsibilities as described further in the Stakeholder Involvement Plan (Annex 3). They will also be responsible for implementing any policy changes at the Union, Upazila and District level. At the Union Level, the Union Parishad will be the key local government counterpart for project interventions, along with the Union Disaster Management Committees (UDMCs), the Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers and other government staff with an important role to play in supporting the delivery of different project outputs.
65. Vulnerable communities will be actively engaged in all project components. They will implement community-based adaptation and climate risk management activities under Outcomes 1 and 3 and be empowered through awareness, capacity development and active engagement to test and develop an agreement on benefit-sharing and co-management of coastal forests under Outcome 2. The MoEF fully recognizes the importance of ensuring that the voices of minorities and less vocal groups are heard, particularly of women and other disadvantaged groups. The coastal zone has a particularly large number of women-headed households (Section 2.3.3). This dimension has been taken into account in project design. Additionally, the project will make a very conscious effort to ensure that marginalized groups and individuals are able to participate effectively in project discussions and activities.
66. Additionally, Bangladesh has a very strong tradition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including a range of NGOs and Community-based Organizations (CBOs) working in both rural and urban areas in a wide variety of fields. Many of these have an impressive track record of successful engagement of marginalized communities in programmes for poverty alleviation, health care, education and general empowerment. NGOs and CBOs which are active and committed to work on issues of natural resource and disaster risk management in the target regions will be contracted by MoEF or UNDP to work as local partners with communities on the development of community-based adaptation schemes.
67. Another key project stakeholder is the volunteer network supported by the CPP of the MoDMR. Working closely with the CDMP-II that is providing basic cyclone preparedness trainings, these volunteers in six project upazilas will receive additional trainings and gear to strengthen their capacity for delivering early warning communications on extreme climate events.67 The CPP network will also be involved in raising awareness about the importance of coastal greenbelts for local resilience. Additionally, members of FRPGs established under Output 2.1, particularly women, will be be encouraged to become CPP volunteers and receive training on disaster preparedness and response.
68. Research institutions such as the MoEF’s Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) and the MoA’s Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) are an invaluable source of technical knowledge, advice and support for the
67 Negotiations are currently ongoing with CDMP-II to expand their training programme to an additional upazila, which is currently not covered under the CPP/CDMP-II program.
UNDP Environmental Finance Services Page 34 design and implementation of specific climate change adaptation measures, for example, identifying the most appropriate climate resilient species to be planted as well as the best agricultural practices to be used in a given area.
69. Major stakeholders with a day-to-day implementation role and/or who are critical to the project’s ultimate success are described in Table 3 below. Other important stakeholders, such as the numerous volunteer networks, CBOs and NGOs operating in the 4 target coastal districts and 7 Upazilas (subdistricts) are listed in the Stakeholder Involvement Plan in Annex 3, which also includes details of secondary stakeholders, who are likely to have an interest in the project’s results but unlikely to play an active role in project implementation.
70. Further details of stakeholder consultations and reports are given in Annex 2 along with details of the names, functions, addresses and possible contributions of individual key stakeholders.
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Table 3: Major Project Stakeholders
Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
National & Subnational Government Line Ministries, Departments and other Bodies
The Ministry of Environment & Forests is the nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government, for the planning, promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of environmental and forestry programs. MoEF activities cover the conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests, and wildlife; pollution control; and the forestation, regeneration of degraded areas, and protection of environment.
Ministry of Environment & During PPG Forests (MoEF) and • Lead agency and overall coordination of project preparatory activities Bangladesh Forest • Data and information about CC impacts Department (BFD) • Participation and facilitation in meetings and workshops • Provision of guidance and inputs to the project design During project implementation • The Secretary of the MoEF will act as the Chair of the Project Steering Committee • Chief Conservator of Forests may act as the NPD and will chair the Project Board • Implementing Partner that will be responsible for executing the proposed project • FD/MoEF will host the PMU and also facilitate coordination with other relevant national stakeholders. • BFD will be the Responsible Party for Outcome 1 Ministry of Land is entrusted with the land management and settlement of the Government owned lands (khas lands), sairat mahals (jalmahal, shirmp mahal etc.), vested properties and abandoned properties. Thus this ministry is in charge of land administration, management and development for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh.
During PPG • Member of the National Steering Committee. • Review impacts of existing land use policies on the sustainability of protective greenbelt structures and develop Ministry of Land (MoL) policy recommendations for MoL to enhance the sustainability of coastal forest cover • Participation in meetings and workshops During project implementation • Member of the Project Board and National Steering Committee • Play key role in allocation of newly accreted coastal lands to BFD for afforestation and for further establishment of a co-management and forest benefit-sharing systems • Will be engaged closely to demonstrate multiple benefits generated from retaining a significant area of newly accreted lands as coastal greenbelts under new co-management mechanisms by BFD and local communities
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
• Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level The MoA’s mandate is to build a profitable, sustainable and environment friendly agricultural system to ensure long- term food security of the people by increasing crop sector production and productivity through innovation and transfer of technology, increase efficiency of input management and assistance to agricultural programmes.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) is the largest public sector extension service provider in Bangladesh. DAE has carried out research on adaptive agriculture and dissemination of climate resilient crop variety, promotion and extension of adaptive agriculture to farmers. DAE has also been actively involved in implementing selected activities under the CBACC project. Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) During PPG • Member of the National Steering Committee. Department of Agricultural • Participation in meetings and workshops Extension (DAE) During project implementation • Member of the Project Board and National Steering Committee Local representatives of the DAE will be involved particularly in the delivery of Outputs 1.1& 3.2 of this project. DAE will: • Provide guidance and training on agriculture-related livelihood activities • Contribute climate tolerant/suitable crops, horticulture and agro-forestry for livelihood diversification • Provide of field-level technical support to farmers in target Upazilas • Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level The main functions of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock are to preserve fisheries resources, fulfill the requirement of animal protein through proper management and planned development, increase socio-economic conditions of fishermen, create employment opportunities for rural unemployed and landless people, expand foreign exchange earnings by exporting fish and fishery products and to innovate new technologies through research for fisheries development and preservation. Ministry of Fisheries &
Livestock (MoFL) The Department of Fisheries (DoF) is mandated to disseminate improved aquaculture technologies through training Department of Fisheries and demonstration and to render extension advisory services to the focal stakeholders. They also strive to enhance (DoF) & Directorate of fisheries resources through enhancing conservation and management measures and facilitate alternative income Livestock Services (DLS) generating activities for rural poor and unemployed people towards poverty alleviation.
During PPG • Member of the National Steering Committee. • Participation in meetings and workshops
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
During project implementation • Member of the Project Board and National Steering Committee
DoF & DLS will particularly contribute to Outputs 1.1 and 3.2. • Demonstrate & support project training on climate resilient aquaculture to target project communities • Demonstrate & support project training on climate resilient animal husbandry practices to target project communities • Provide inputs in the design of killas • Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) has been given the mandate to drive national risk reduction reform programmes. Its mission relative to this agenda is: “To achieve a paradigm shift in disaster management from conventional response and relief to a more comprehensive risk reduction culture, and to promote food security as an important factor in ensuring the resilience of communities to hazards” Department of Disaster Management (DDM) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief is mandated to implement the objectives of Disaster Management Act by reducing the overall vulnerability from different impacts of disaster by undertaking risk reduction activities; conducting humanitarian assistance programs efficiently to enhance the capacity of poor and disadvantaged as well as strengthening and coordinating programmes undertaken by various Ministry of Disaster government and non-government organizations related to disaster risk reduction and emergency response. Management & Relief (MDMR) During PPG Disaster Management • Member of the National Steering Committee. Bureau (DMB) • Participation in meetings and workshops During project implementation • Member of the Project Board and National Steering Committee • At the subnational level, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) and upazila level Project Implementation Officer (PIO) will be fully involved in the training programme targeted at the CPP volunteers under Output 3.1 • Recipient of input from the project to incorporate climate change projections in the definition of disaster management plans, policies and projects • Bring synergy with future activities by Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme • Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level Ministry of Water The Ministry of Water Resources is the apex body of the Government of Bangladesh for development and Resources (MoWR), management of the whole water resources of the country. It formulates policies, plans, strategies, guidelines, instructions and acts, rules, regulations, etc. relating to the development and management of water resources, and Bangladesh Water regulation and control of the institutions reporting to it. It prepares and implements development projects relating to Development Board flood control and drainage (FCD); flood control, drainage and irrigation (FCDI); riverbank erosion control; delta (BWDB) development and land reclamation; etc. and provides irrigation, drainage, flood protection, bank erosion protection,
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
land reclamation facilities by constructing barrages, regulators, sluices, canals, cross-dams, embankments and sea- dykes along the banks of the rivers and the coast, etc.
Key function of BWDB is the construction and maintenance of the water management infrastructure in the country. Construction of coastal polders began in the 60s. About 125 polders with 5355 km embankment & other structures. Saving human lives, livestock, crops from tidal flood & storm surge Contribute in food security, rural employment & communication development
During PPG • Member of the National Steering Committee. • Participation in meetings and workshops During project implementation • Member of the Project Board and National Steering Committee • Technical assistance in the field of irrigation, flood control, anti-water-logging, drainage and anti-erosions for activities under Output 3.2 • Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level • Key recipient of experience and lessons learned, especially from Output 1.1 as the land they own on either sides of embankments (1km) could potentially be leveraged for expanding the benefits of diversified livelihood strategies BRDB is the prime public sector organization working for ‘Rural Development’ and 'Poverty Alleviation’ under Rural Development and Cooperative Division (RD&CD) of the Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Cooperative (LGRD&C) of the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Ministry of Local Government Rural Development & Cooperative Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is one of the largest public sector organizations in Bangladesh Division (MoLGRDC) entrusted for planning and implementation of local level rural urban and small scale water resources infrastructure development programs. The broad objectives of LGED’s development activities are to improve the socio-economic Bangladesh Rural condition of the country through supply of infrastructures at local level and capacity building of the stakeholders. Development Board LGED promotes labour-based technology to create employment opportunity at local level and uses local materials in (BRDB) construction and maintenance to optimize the project implementation cost with preserving the desired quality. LGED works in a wide range of diversified programs like construction of roads, bridges/ culverts and markets to social Local Government mobilization, empowerment and environmental protection. Engineering Department (LGED) • Will be member of the National Steering Committee • Will be a member of CMCs at the Upazila level • Assist in the socio-economic development and empowerment of rural women through formation of formal and informal groups under cooperative programmes.
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
• They will be the main government interface in relation to investments under Output 3.2. • Implement development and service-oriented activities for climate change adaptation, disaster risk management Local Government and environment conservation. Mobilizing local resources, establish good governance, providing civic/utility Institutions (Union Parishad, services to municipalities and city corporations. Rural and urban infrastructures development, supply safe drinking Upazila Parishad) water, solid waste disposal and sanitation. There is a District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) at the District level. There will be a plan for each District District Environment and titled “District Disaster Management Plan” comprising both disaster risk reduction and emergency response to be Forest Development prepared by the District Disaster Management Committee. While the UDCC coordinates all the development Committee (DEFDC), initiatives within the territory by all agencies either public or private. District Disaster Management Committee • Facilitate effective coordination of project at the district level (DDMC) • Local conflict resolution related to land use issues Upazila Development • Through UDCC, local government bodies such as Union Parishads, will be mobilized to facilitate the project Coordination Committee • District committees may assign CBOs if necessary to implement livelihood related activities at local level as part (UDCC) of output 1.3. • Community mobilization by invitation of the Project Management Unit and any other component
Local communities/CBOs
• GoB gazetted community based organizations primarily involved in participatory natural resource management • Will act as the apex community organization involved in forest resources management along with the FD • Will facilitate dialogue between local communities and local government on coastal forest co-management and Co-Management benefit-sharing and serve as the main platform for engagement of local communities in higher-level decision Committees (CMCs) making processes on coastal greenbelts • Will also promote horizontal and vertical intersectoral dialogue and coordination at the Upazila level and above. • Seven CMCs will be established/supported – one in each target Upazila (2 already exist through the support from the first LDCF. But they will also receive additional trainings including benefit-sharing agreement) • FRPGs are the key village/community-level institution that will be empowered to engage actively in participatory coastal forest co-management and benefit-sharing Forest Resources • FRPGs will have representation on the CMCs Protection Groups (FRPGs) • 40 FRPGs will be formulated • Members of FRPGs will be encouraged to join the CPP Volunteer group to receive additional trainings on the nexus of coastal greenbelts and disaster risk management Cyclone Preparedness • They represent the key beneficiary of Output 3.1 Programme (CPP) • At least 6,000 CPP volunteers will be exposed to awareness and training workshop on climate risks and natural Volunteer Group benefits of coastal greenbelts in reducing the impacts of extreme events such as cyclones and tidal bore
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
NGOs/CSOs
AF, also known as the Bangladesh Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, has a long history of community engagement and alternative income generation in rural Bangladesh. AF will be carrying out the livelihood support in the baseline CRPAR project. Arannayk Foundation During PPG, they provided information inputs on the potential areas of their operation; types of livelihood support (AF) activities envisaged; and joined discussions on beneficiary selection criteria for both the CRPAR project and LDCF projects. During the project implementation, they will sit in the LDCF Project Board and ensure close coordination on livelihood related activities. Other NGOs such as Practical Action Bangladesh, Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS), Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies (BCAS), IUCN-Bangladesh, Gram Bikash Shayahak Sangstha (GBSS), Center for Advance Research in Natural Resources & Management (CARINAM), World Fish Centre, and Concern Worldwide, etc will be Other NGOs called to participate in project activities or discussions, as necessary, based on the procurement guideline set by UNDP. All of these NGOs have been consulted during the PPG phase.
Government Research Institutions
• Implement activities related to innovative research by inviting research proposal Bangladesh Agricultural • Conduction of field-level adaptation research on the introduction of saline-tolerant rice varieties, including adjusted Research Institute (BARI), cropping cycles to avoid high saline periods MoA • Provision of training to project staff and farmers (including women) in adopting suitable vegetable and orchard cultivation technologies that have been tested in coastal areas (inputs from consultation • Implement activities related to innovative research by inviting research proposal Bangladesh Rice Research • Conduction of field-level adaptation research on non-rice crop diversification Institute (BRRI), MoA • Demonstration of adaptive technologies in high-salinity areas • Provision of training to project staff and farmers in adopting suitable rice varieties that have been tested in coastal areas (salt and inundation tolerant varieties) Centre for Environment and • Carryout research on climate change, climate modeling, prepared climate and disaster risk map, policy advocacy Geographic Information and training. Services (CEGIS) Bangladesh University of • Research and capacity development in water and flood management, climate related disasters and provide Engineering and advisory and consultancy services; conducting various activities such as facilitating research, organizing short Technology (BUET) -
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
Institute of Water and Flood • courses, workshops and seminars, providing advisory services to government and relevant organizations, hosting Management (IWFM) / international and national conferences, publishing journal, and developing climate change database. Climate Change Study Cell • Other research institutions will be involved on a needs-basis through competitive procurement and/or by invitation
of the PMU
Major Development Partners
World Bank is responsible for fiduciary management of Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF), the multi-donor trust fund created to support climate change endeavors of the GoB. The LDCF project has been designed to build on a major new $US35 million BCCRF-financed project on coastal afforestation/reforestation Climate Resilient World Bank/BCCRF Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project (CRPARP). Close consultations were held with BFD, BCCRF CRPAR project and Aranayk Foundation during the project preparation phase to ensure close alignment with the BCCRF project and avoid duplication with AF. CRPAR project will remain a key partner throughout LDCF project implementation as detailed further in the Project Strategy. USAID is one of the leading development partners in Bangladesh, particularly in areas of natural resource management. USAID pioneered participatory natural resource management through their M ACH, NSP, IPAC and USAID/CREL most recently CREL project. CREL project will serve as a co-financing partner of the project and will complement activities of the project, particularly in areas of participatory forest management. The Char Development and Settlement Project (CDSP) IV project implemented by Bangladesh Water Development Board with an overall budget of USD 89.2 million financed by IFAD, Government of the Netherlands and GoB operated IFAD/CDSP-IV in Noakhali, Laxmipur and Chittagong. The goal of the project is reduced poverty and hunger for poor people living on newly accreted coastal chars. This would be achieved via the purpose of improved and more secure livelihoods for 28,000 households. During the project formulation phase of SPCR and of LDCF, periodic exchanges have been made with regards to the design of both projects. The areas of investments envisaged in SPCR are inside coastal embankments whereas large part of project activities under LDCF will be outside coastal embankments except Output 3.2. The geographical overlap between the SPCR and LDCF is limited to 2 Upazilas out of the 16 Upazilas SPCR operates in. They are Special Program for Climate Hatya and Char Fasson. MoEF has therefore decided that the LDCF resources, under Output 3.2, will not be invested Resilience (SPCR) in Hatya and Char Fasson to avoid overlap. Nonetheless, they will be invited to project lessons and experience sharing workshops and events to ensure that successful demonstrations of livelihood strategies, tested both inside embankments (in SPCR) and largely outside embankments (in LDCF), will be shared. IUCN-Bangladesh IUCN-Bangladesh has institutional knowledge of Bangladesh’s coastal green belt development experience over the past five decades and is thus an invaluable source of historical and current technical knowledge. IUCN Bangladesh
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Stakeholders Brief Summary of Mandate, Inputs to PPG & Role in Main Project
was consulted during the PPG to obtain a better understanding of the threats to coastal green belts and the underlying barriers to long-term sustainability. IUCN also supports the Mangroves for the Future (MFF) programme in Asia, which is another important source of technical knowledge and practical experience from which this project can benefit. IUCN will continue to be consulted by the project on a needs-basis.
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II STRATEGY
1. Project rationale & policy conformity
71. Bangladesh’s overarching development goals are to achieve middle-income country status and to reduce the poverty headcount from 32% to 15% of the population by 2021. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) is acutely aware that climate risks have the potential to delay the achievement of its main development priorities as well as to reverse hard-won development gains. In 2005, the Government concluded the development of Bangladesh’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), following extensive consultations with communities, professional groups, and other members of civil society. Following a similar line of reasoning as the Initial and Second National Communications of Bangladesh to the UNFCCC, the NAPA document made a compelling argument that risk reduction in coastal areas of Bangladesh can only be achieved if the maintenance of protective greenbelts is connected to tangible livelihood support and economic development options for adjacent communities. Thus, the NAPA identified the “reduction of climate change hazards through coastal afforestation with community participation” as number one adaptation priority, valued at US$23 million. The importance of coastal afforestation and expansion of coastal greenbelts was reiterated in the revised NAPA of 2009, which includes as a priority: “Afforestation including expansion of the coastal greenbelt”.
72. The project will implement these urgent priority interventions identified in Bangladesh’s NAPA and will also contribute to a number of short-term priorities identified in the revised 2009 NAPA by contributing to: “emergency preparedness measures to cope with enhanced climatic disasters”; and “popularization of already released salinity resistant crop varieties.” Thus, the project will reduce the vulnerability of extremely poor and highly exposed coastal communities to existing climate variability and future climate change-related risks through a combination of measures that will strengthen both people’s adaptive capacity and the long-term resilience of coastal greenbelts in Bangladesh. The project will also help transform the way in which coastal afforestation and reforestation programmes are designed and developed in Bangladesh and thereby also contribute to national poverty reduction and development goals.
73. Specifically, the proposed project supports the priorities of The National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction II (Revised FY2009-2011), which emphasizes mainstreaming and strengthening climate change adaptation across various sectors and reinforces the need for climate change resilient afforestation and reforestation in newly accreted coastal lands and degraded hill forests. The National Strategy also emphasizes community participation, especially greater women’s involvement in the afforestation program.
74. The project will also support the objectives of Bangladesh’s Sixth Five Year Plan (FY2011- FY2015), which is aligned with the NSAPR II. This Plan emphasizes the need to afforest and reforest an estimated 40,000 ha of coastal land, 7,000 ha of plains forest land and 250,000 ha of hill forest land by 2015. In order to reduce damage by cyclones and tidal surges, the plan envisages creating a coastal greenbelt and enhancing access to the inputs required for coastal greenbelt establishment, including seeds and seedlings.
75. The project is also aligned with the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP 2009), which presents a comprehensive (but unbudgeted) 10-year action plan (2009-
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2018) for both adaptation and mitigation.68 Among other key areas, the strategy highlights adaptation and expansion of the ‘greenbelt’ coastal afforestation program, with mangrove planting along the shoreline, and the social forestry program. Activities under the BCCSAP fall under 6 pillars: (1) food security, social protection and health, (2) comprehensive disaster management, (3) infrastructure, (4) research and knowledge management, (5) mitigation and low carbon development, (6) capacity building and institutional strengthening. The Ministry of Environment coordinates activities under the BCCSAP and has established a Climate Change Secretariat to implement the plan. The proposed project aligns directly with activities under all 6 pillars, with particular relevance to pillars 1, 2, 3 and 6.
76. By piloting forest-benefit sharing mechanisms in coastal greenbelts, the project will contribute to some of the key objectives of the National Forest Policy 1994, which include ensuring that the benefits of forestry sector development are equitably distributed among the people, especially whose livelihood depends on trees and forests. The policy also emphasizes increasing the scope for people’s participation in afforestation programs, including employment opportunities, and paying due attention to maintenance of ecological stability and biodiversity. Another important objective of the 1994 Forest Policy is to maintain 20% of Bangladesh’s total area under forest cover.
77. Social forestry was included in the Forest (Amendment) Act of 2000 and the Social Forestry Rules developed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) were approved in 2004 (amended 2010 and 2011). The Rules define the process of beneficiary selection, roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders, management, capacity building and distribution of earnings from social afforestation. The Rules address important policy objectives and priorities to meet poor people’s requirements for fuelwood, timber, fodder and other Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), as well as to provide employment opportunities and income generation. The Rules are thus especially targeted at the most vulnerable and include gender-sensitive targeting among the criteria for beneficiary selection. These Rules have brought about important changes in prevailing patterns of mainland forest management, with notable success in increasing local participation in afforestation and reforestation programmes and poverty reduction through income and employment generation and other forms of forest benefit-sharing. For example, the revised Social Forestry Rules stipulate that the communities responsible for the maintenance of plantations will receive 75% of timber value of the forest on short rotation. However, the Rules are currently applicable to only mainland forestry programmes. This LDCF project will contribute to expanding the purview of these Rules to coastal mangrove forests, thereby linking the objectives of the Bangladesh NAPA, Sixth Five-Year Plan, BCCSAP and National Forest Policy with those of the Social Forestry Rules.
78. The National Land Use Policy seeks to ensure the rational use of the country’s land and waterbodies and to restrict misuse and inappropriate use of such resource. It also contains provisions for redistribution of state-owned (khas) land to the landless and the marginalized poor and for safeguarding the legitimate rights of marginalized community (indigenous peoples) in respect of land ownership and use, including community-owned land and rights of use.
79. The Coastal Zone Policy (CZP) is built on different sector policies of the Government of Bangladesh. The policy states that the coastal development process aims to comply, on an overall basis, with: the National Goal for Accelerated Poverty Reduction (PRSP); the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and with other
68 BCCSAP estimates that the total cost of programmes in the action plan is $500 million in the first 2 years of implementation and in the order of $5 billion for 5 years.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 45 international conventions and treaties. The CZP establishes the goal of integrated CZ management: “to create conditions, in which the reduction of poverty, development of sustainable livelihoods and the integration of the CZ into national processes can take place”. More specifically, the development objectives as described in the CZP include: economic growth; basic needs and opportunities for livelihoods; reduction of vulnerabilities; sustainable management of natural resources; equitable distribution; empowerment of communities; women’s development and gender equity and conservation and enhancement of critical ecosystems. The Coastal Development Strategy (CDS) is the “linking pin” in the ICZM process, linking the CZP with concrete development programs and intervention. In general terms, objectives of the CDS are: to select strategic priorities and actions in implementation of the CZP with emphasis on the creation of the institutional environment that will enable GoB to embark on a continuous and structured process of prioritization, development and implementation of concerted interventions for the development of the CZ.
2. Country ownership: country eligibility and country drivenness
80. The project has been developed in line with LDCF guidelines and is aligned with the updated Results-Based Management Framework for the LDCF and SCCF (GEF/LDCF.SCCF.9/Inf.4 of October 20, 2010) and the Adaptation Monitoring and Assessment Tool for the Least Developed Countries Fund (GEF/LDCF.SCCF.9/Inf.4 from October 20, 2010). It corresponds to Objective CCA-1 “Reducing Vulnerability: Reduce vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change, including variability, at local, national, regional and global level”. The project will contribute to Outcomes 1.1 “Mainstreamed adaptation in broader development frameworks at country level and in targeted vulnerable areas“ and 1.3 “Diversified and strengthened livelihoods and sources of income for vulnerable people in targeted areas“ under this Objective, specifically to Outputs 1.1.1 “Adaptation measures and necessary budget allocations included in relevant frameworks” and 1.3.1 “Targeted individual and community livelihood strategies strengthened in relation to climate change impacts, including variability”
81. Bangladesh signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in June 1992 and ratified it in April 1994, with entry into force in July 1994. Bangladesh is also one of the world’s 49 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The country is thus eligible for LDCF funding and this project has been endorsed by the GEF Operational Focal Point (OFP). It is also eligible for technical assistance from UNDP.
82. Conscious of the country’s vulnerability to climate change, GoB has been developing national working groups and policies (Section 2.1) related to climate change adaptation for several years. In 1992, the GoB established an Inter-ministerial Committee on Climate Change headed by the Minister for Environment and Forest (MoEF), with representation from relevant government ministries and departments as well as key non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and research institutions. The Department of Environment (DoE) under the MoEF has set up a Climate Change Cell (CCC) to act as Secretariat for climate change related work within the government. There is also a National Environment Committee (NEC) to determine environmental policies chaired by the Prime Minister and with representation from Members of parliament (MPs) as well government and civil society. These groups and platforms have been instrumental in determining the country’s strategic positions on climate change while maintaining a cross-sectoral approach to tackling the issue. The proposed LDCF project will utilize these high-level platforms to discuss and disseminate strategic policy issues arising from the project.
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83. The project is exclusively country-driven and has been developed in a participatory manner. Consistent with the Conference of Parties (COP-9), the project will implement urgent priority interventions identified in Bangladesh’s first NAPA in 2005 and reiterated in the country’s revised NAPA of 2009, thereby satisfying the criteria outlined in UNFCCC Decision 7/CP.7 and GEF/C.28/18. Also in accordance with LDCF eligibility criteria and guidelines, LDCF resources will be used to finance the additional costs of ensuring that baseline programmes are made resilient to climate change risks. The project has been designed to complement and increase the adaptive value of existing major baseline government programmes on coastal afforestation and reforestation, most notably the Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation (CRPAR) Project supported by the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF; see Section 2.3.2). Other important baseline projects that will be complemented are discussed further under Section 2.3.3.
84. The project is well-coordinated with a number of other LDCF and non-LDCF-funded projects such as the CBACC project (Section 2.3.1) and the second phase of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, a joint initiative of GoB and UNDP (Section 2.3.2). It will also integrate climate change risk considerations into areas that are identified in LDCF guidelines as priority interventions eligible for LDCF support, notably coastal development and forest management. Thus the project will
1. Expand the resilience of natural and social systems against climate change hazards, focusing on the community level; 2. Enable the development of response strategies to reduce the adverse effects of sea level rise; 3. Improve local and national awareness and understanding of the benefits of preparedness for climate change risks. These priorities are in line with the expected interventions articulated in the LDCF programming paper and decision 5/CP.9.
85. The project is also in line with the new UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2012-2016), which was endorsed by the Government of Bangladesh in June 2011, and the UNDP Country Programme Document (2012-2016). These major assistance frameworks to the Government of Bangladesh emphasize the UN’s goal to promote equitable and sustainable growth in Bangladesh that contribute to faster and more efficient poverty reduction and sustainable use of natural resources in a changing climate. The project is fully aligned with: a) UNDAF Outcome 5.1: ‘By 2016, populations vulnerable to climate change and natural disaster have become more resilient to adapt with the risk’ and partly aligned with Outcome 5.2: By 2016, vulnerable populations benefit from natural resource management and environmental governance and low emission green development under UNDAF Pillar 5 on “Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and Response”; and b) UNDP Country Programme Outcome 3.1 ‘Improved resilience of vulnerable communities and institutions to adapt to risks’ and Outcome 3.2 ‘The poor and vulnerable benefit from better management of natural resources and access to low carbon energy’.
86. It is important to note that the new UNDAF for 2012-2016, which has been formulated and endorsed by the UN Country Team on the basis of an MDG gap analysis, has defined UNDP as the lead UN agency for Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and Response. This role was assigned on the basis of long-standing technical and financial support to the government of Bangladesh in the implementation of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), the NAPA, National Plan for Disaster Management (NPDM 2010) and existing disaster risk reduction frameworks such as the CDMP.
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3. Design principles and strategic considerations
2.3.1 Building on the first LDCF Project
87. The LDCF-financed Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation in Bangladesh (CBACC), which started implementation in 2009, is Bangladesh’s first NAPA follow-up project. This project, which recognizes vulnerable communities both as victims of climate change as well as critical partners for finding and sustaining adaptation solutions, is supported by UNDP and jointly financed by the LDCF (3.3 million USD), UNDP (1.1 million USD) the Government of Bangladesh (1 million USD), Swiss Development Corporation (2.17 million USD), and Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (0.98 million USD). This project, which is currently in its fourth year, has focused on community-based afforestation and livelihood diversification in the coastal districts of Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali and Chittagong and has delivered a number of highly visible, substantive results, demonstrating how ‘business as usual’ afforestation activities can be reoriented to:
Incorporate a climate-resilient mix of mangrove and non-mangrove varieties; Adopt new planting patterns and techniques to enhance the protective and economic functions of new greenbelts; and Couple livelihood diversification and support actions with the planting of new greenbelt structures to create incentives for communities to maintain the long-term integrity and protective utility of the new plantations.
88. The CBACC project has received important national and international recognition, including an award for innovation at the 5th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation, and was featured in a Discovery Channel documentary. MoEF was also awarded JSW - the Times of India Earth Care Award 2012 in community based adaptation category for implementing this project. Apart from the tangible results of planting 6,000 ha of mangroves and more than 500 ha of non-mangrove species for additional income and land stabilization, one of the key achievements of the CBACC project in the policy area was the issuance of a government standing order to designate and retain 50% of mangrove plantation as coastal greenbelts. This issuance is pivotal, in principle, to ensure BFD’s ownership and control over the greenbelts for an extended period, increasing the likelihood of maintaining these forests in a relatively intact state. However, as discussed in the barrier section, many other gaps remain in policy implementation and compliance as well as in terms of misaligned incentives of various key actors. Thus, substantive change at the local level in terms of reduction of anthropogenic threats to coastal forests will only materialize if there are sufficient tangible, visible and practical examples of adaptation, at much greater scale geographically, that can be accessed and understood by local-level institutions and authorities. Consequently, there is need to replicate and scale up adaptation measures successfully tested through CBACC and to pilot additional measures targeted at the most vulnerable and exposed along the coastline to institutionalize climate-smart afforestation and reforestation and gain the attention of civil society organisations and District, Union and Upazila officials.
89. Against this backdrop, the proposed project is aimed at much larger transformational change across the coastal zone building on the important foundations laid by the CBACC project. Such change will be brought about by demonstrating the benefits of integrating local livelihood strategies in coastal afforestation and reforestation and greater species diversification of coastal greenbelts to alter the existing incentive structure for local communities, which currently revolves
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 48 around once-off daily wage labour, and replace it with a greater stream of benefits from in-situ forests, thereby enhancing the long-term sustainability of coastal forests. Only districts in which ‘business as usual’ afforestation programmes can be coupled and strengthened with additional resources to provide back-to-back livelihood support and community-based adaptation benefits will be able to replicate ‘what works’ in community-based adaptation.
2.3.2 Emerging large-scale coastal afforestation and reforestation programmes
90. The most critical baseline project on which the proposed LDCF project will be built is the new $US35 million coastal afforestation/reforestation Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project (CRPARP) financed by the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) and implemented by the Forest Department. The project has three components as follows: 1) Afforestation and Reforestation Programme; 2) Alternative Livelihoods to Support Forest Communities; and 3) Capacity Development for Forest Resources Planning and Management. The CRPAR project will work in 9 out of Bangladesh’s 19 coastal districts, namely: Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola. In total, 17,500 ha of block plantations and 2,000 km of strip plantations will be established, including 6,350 ha of mangrove afforestation in coastal areas.
91. A critical strategic principle that underlies the design of the proposed LDCF project and thus offers an important interface with the CRPAR project, is that the notion of ‘resilience’ as embraced by the CRPAR project, which stems primarily from the fact that mangrove plantation takes place in coastal districts, with the underlying assumption that established plantations will remain intact and provide the necessary natural buffer against extreme events. However, as analysed in the Barriers sections (Section 1.5), there are multifaceted factors that currently threaten the sustainability of the greenbelts – most importantly misaligned incentives that drive exploitation of coastal forests and char lands and the predominant focus on single-species plantation in the early phase of establishment without sufficient attention to the need to diversify and foster greater stewardship of these forests. In other words, large-scale plantation of coastal forests alone, without addressing the driving force that prompts community members to exploit and degrade forest resources will offer only limited adaptation benefits in the long-run69. The MoEF envisages that LDCF investments, through providing alternative livelihood options in areas adjacent to CRPARP coastal plantation sites, generating additional options for communities to benefit more directly from forests and promoting community co-management of the greenbelts (see below), will increase the adaptive value of the CRPAR investments greatly. Furthermore, as described above, those alternative livelihood options that will be promoted have already been tested on a smaller scale in the CBACC project and therefore significant efficiency gains are expected in the way such options are delivered.
92. During the preparatory phase of the LDCF project, a series of consultations took place, between MoEF, BFD, UNDP, the World Bank and the Arannayk Foundation (AF), which will implement the alternative livelihood options in CRPAR, UNDP and the World Bank, to determine the specific locations of the alternative livelihood interventions vis-à-vis BCCRF-funded afforestation/reforestation activities. As the specific locations of the BCCRF-funded afforestation/reforestation activities at the Union/Upazila level are still under discussion within the BFD and World Bank, agreements on the specific sites for LDCF interventions have not been
69 It is important to note that BCCRF in fact has a component that focuses on alternative livelihoods. However, this component has earmarked funding of only 10% of the total project budget, which is considered too small to reduce the anthropogenic driver of forest exploitation in search for economic opportunity.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 49 obtained to date. However, based on the preliminary workplans of CRPAR project and AF, the MoEF has identified seven Upazilas for LDCF interventions where CRPARP coastal mangrove afforestation will take place and where there are options to work in a complementary manner with the AF. Furthermore, to ensure alignment between the BCCRF- and LDCF-funded projects, the LDCF project’s beneficiary selection criteria have been jointly reviewed by BFD, AF and UNDP to ensure that these are consistent with those being used by BFD and AF under the CRPAR project (see Annex 4 for further details).
2.3.3 Co-Management of Coastal Forest Resources
93. Co-management or community-based management of natural resources has gained wide currency in recent years both globally and in Bangladesh as a potential mechanism for transforming the incentive structure of natural resource use to promote more sustainable use and reduce conflicts over natural resources. Co-management in the context of natural resources management can be broadly defined as:
“a partnership arrangement in which a resource user group gets the right to use natural resources on a defined area of state owned land along with the responsibility to sustainably manage the resources (including protection).” 70
Co-management thus sits in the middle of a spectrum of possible governance arrangements that range from full state control to full community-control and is based on the principles of negotiation, joint decision-making, a degree of power and responsibility-sharing and equitable distribution of benefits among all stakeholders.
94. Experiences and lessons from past co-management initiatives in Bangladesh, notably some of the work undertaken by CBACC and several major USAID-supported programmes include the following: the Nishorgo Support Project 2003-2008 (NSP); the Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry Project 1998-2008 (MACH); and the Integrated Protected Area Co-management 2008-2013 (IPAC) Project. USAID’s longer and more extensive experience has clearly demonstrated the potential benefits of a co-management approach in the context of wildlife protected areas, including areas of natural forests, and inland aquatic resources, while CBACC’s smaller-scale efforts in the coastal zone are also showing promise in terms of increasing community engagement with local government on adaptation planning. To date, CBACC remains the only initiative that implements co-management approaches in coastal greenbelt forests.
95. A key strategy of the proposed LDCF project is to alter the existing incentive structure that promotes forest degradation by linking interventions to increase local livelihood resilience with maintenance of coastal greenbelts and by complementing such interventions with more tangible benefits to local communities from coastal forests along with a greater role in their management and stewardship. To deliver this approach, the proposed LDCF project will work closely with the new USAID-funded Climate Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods Programme (CREL). This US$36 million programme, launched in March 2013 and due to run until 2017, builds on the
70 K. Schmitt 2009, Management of Natural Resources in the Coastal Zone of Soc Trang Province. Protection and sustainable use of coastal wetlands through co-management and mangrove rehabilitation with emphasis on resilience to climate change. GIZ (formerly GTZ). P. 7
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 50 successes of Nishorgo, MACH and IPAC and will focus on expanding and strengthening USAID's support for co-management in key areas of wetland and forest.
96. However, consistent with the focus manifested throughout Nishorgo, MACH and IPAC, the geographical focus of CREL is inside and periphery of the country’s protected inland wetlands and forests, and it does not focus on coastal districts and coastal greenbelts in its original design. During the project preparatory phase, consultations with USAID resulted in an agreement that, the LDCF resources will be used to form co-management groups in the target coastal districts (referred to as Forest Resource Management Groups in this project) and CREL, through co- financing, would offer their technical expertise in supporting co-management groups and facilitating dialogues for benefit-sharing agreement.
97. At the same time, the proposed LDCF project will share lessons and technical expertise in climate resilient livelihood techniques to the design and implementation of the CREL program. The considerations for climate resilience – a concept that was newly introduced in CREL in the series of USAID-supported initiatives that facilitate community-management of natural resources – are derived largely from the fact that the program promotes alternative livelihoods that are less dependent on natural resource. The partnership with the LDCF project will enable the CREL program to enhance its component on resilient livelihood support by integrating lessons from the LDCF-financed initiative, which has a comparative advantage in this area because of the accumulated expertise from CBACC.
2.3.4 Gender considerations
98. While Bangladesh has made enormous progress in advancing gender equality in some areas such as enrolment in primary and secondary school, there is still much to be done to achieve the goal of gender parity across sectors and women’s empowerment generally. Equal opportunity is still not a reality for most women in Bangladesh. Wage employment opportunities for women remain low, and despite expansion of the readymade garments industry, only one in seven women is engaged in wage employment outside the agricultural sector. Women earn less than half the income of their male counterparts for the same work and the number of poor women is higher than the number of poor men. Indeed, the majority of the extremely poor are women and there is also a higher proportion of female-headed households among the extreme poor.71
99. In promoting community-based adaptation at the local level, the project recognizes that risks associated with climate change threaten to reinforce gender inequalities and erode progress that has been made towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. Poor women’s limited access to resources, restricted rights, limited mobility and voice in community and household decision-making can make them much more vulnerable than men to the effects of climate change. This can lead to unfortunate consequences for all, as women play a unique role in the stewardship of natural resources and support to households and communities. With their knowledge, they can shape adaptive mechanisms in vulnerable areas.
100. This LDCF financed project makes a conscious effort to empower women and their involvement in advancing resilience. This will be achieved in a number of ways. For example, consultations during the project preparatory phase with the BFD and AF resulted in an agreement to emphasize women, particularly women-headed households, as a key criterion for selection of
71 BTI 2012
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 51 project beneficiaries for both LDCF and BCCRF-funded CRPAR projects. Additionally, LDCF financing will be used to promote participation of female members in the Forest Resource User Groups and Co-management Committees that are established to pilot forest-benefit sharing mechanisms. Furthermore, one of proposed activities under Output 1 includes a field assessment, in year 2 or 3, which looks into the extent to which women’s participation in CBOs and selection as project beneficiaries is adhered to according to the agreed selection criteria and propose areas of improvement, if any.
101. Interventions envisaged under Outcome 3 will also specifically address the differentiated needs of women during the time of climate-induced natural disasters. Natural disasters are the times when differential impacts of climate change on men and women are most starkly manifested as the differences in economic and socioeconomic status between men and women are directly linked to the survival rate72, and some estimate that women and children are 14 times more likely to die during natural disasters73. In Bangladesh, in particular, women are generally responsible for taking livestock, which is often the only asset for the poor, to safe havens and they often fall victim during this time. Some of the investments under Outcome 3 are directly in response to reduce such tragedies.
2.3.5 UNDP comparative advantage
102. UNDP’s comparative advantage for the proposed project lies in its long-standing experience of providing technical assistance and financing to the Bangladesh government on climate change, including community-based adaptation and disaster risk reduction with a strong focus on capacity development and policy support. This has included support to the formulation of INC, SNC and TNC, formulation and implementation of the Bangladesh NAPA and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP). UNDP was also selected as the lead agency to support Bangladesh’s first LDCF-funded NAPA follow-up project, the CBACC project. The UNDP Bangladesh Country Office, with a dedicated officer, provides the primary interface with the partner Government through the lifetime of these programmes. Technical aspects of project implementation are supported by a dedicated technical advisor based in Bangkok and a senior technical advisor based in New York. The global network of the region- based advisors enables sharing and dissemination of knowledge beyond the country and region.
103. Financially, UNDP is contributing 2 million USD in parallel co-financing. This LDCF- financed project will be building on the achievements and lessons learned by UNDP during the course of supporting the design and implementation of the CBACC project. It is important to note that UNDP played an instrumental role in supporting the GoB and mobilizing additional grants from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), totalling USD 3.15 million, to expand the successful implementation of the CBACC project. UNDP’s extensive in-country partnership with these donors and track record in project assurance, which facilitated such partnership building in the CBACC project, will surely be drawn upon during the implementation of the proposed LDCF project.
72 See for example, Neumayer, E. & T. Plumper. (2007). The Gendered Nature of Natural Disasters: The Impact of Catastrophic Events on the Gender Gap in Life Expectancy, 1981-2002. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 97 (3). pp.551-556. 73 Soroptimist International of the Americas. (2008). “Reaching Out to Women When Disaster Strikes.” White Paper: Disaster Relief. Philadelphia, PA: Soroptimist Inter-national of the Americas.
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104. In addition, UNDP is implementing the second phase of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP-II) on behalf of GoB. This is a 5-year, multi-donor framework supported by UNDP, DFID, the EU, Sida, Norad and AusAID launched in 2010, with an overall budget of USD 76.32 million, to follow on from the first phase of CDMP (2003 – 2009). This programme offers important baseline development for the proposed LDCF project. Additionally, UNDP has supported the implementation of a number of GEF-financed biodiversity projects, all of which have emphasized capacity development and aspects of community-based approaches to environmental management.
105. As a result of the agency’s close engagement on issues relating to poverty reduction, sustainable development and environmental sustainability in Bangladesh and globally, UNDP has been identified as the lead UN agency for Pillar 5: Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and Response in Bangladesh under the new UNDAF for 2012-2016.
2.3.5 Expected benefits
106. Coastal greenbelts perform multiple functions. A thick mangrove forest belt along the coastal zone can greatly reduce the impacts of cyclones, high winds and storm surges, particularly in the more exposed parts of the delta. Mangroves also trap sediment and contribute to new land accretion (thereby countering trends in erosion and sea level rise) as well as providing a range of other valuable ecosystem services, such improved productivity of local fisheries and the provision of fuel, fibre, fodder and other products.
107. Engaging with community-based afforestation and disaster risk reduction measures, community members in each vulnerable target district will not only benefit directly from cash-for- work and seeds-for-work approaches applied by the baseline project, but also from climate change adaptation benefits that persist long after project completion. At the local level, communities will benefit from increased resilience to climate related disasters through timely reception of early warning information; improved access to natural capital, such as forest, food and fiber plots, aquaculture ponds and livestock rearing facilities; improved human capital through involvement in forestry-related and non-forestry-related training activities in climate risk management; improved access to physical capital through climate-proofing of communal infrastructure; and improved financial and political capital as a result of greater community mobilization through Co-Management Committees, Forest Resource Management Groups and an innovative benefit-sharing agreement for coastal forests. These activities will enhance human security to climate change and increase the number of local economic and social development opportunities.
108. Similar to the benefits communities are deriving from Bangladesh’s first NAPA follow-up project (CBACC), both men and women will be engaged in nursery and forest management activities. For example, engagement of women in the project activities in two districts of Barguna and Bhola recorded 46.37% and 42.6%, respectively, and activities that render land ownership and resilient income generation activities involved more than 40% women beneficiaries in all project sites. The same principle and strategy of mobilization of women, encouragement, and preferential selection into project activities, all of which run through the CBACC project will be adopted in the proposed project intervention.
109. More specifically, through a series of investments and technical assistance envisaged across three Outcomes of the proposed project, tangible adaptive benefits will be delivered to:
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10,500 households (or approximately 50,000 individuals) through diversified alternative livelihood strategies in coastal afforestation/reforestation sites o 500 households through the FFF model o 2,500 households through resilient agricultural techniques and crop varieties o 2,500 households through diversified livelihood support specifically targeting fishing households o 2,500 households through diversified/resilient livestock rearing practices o 2,500 households through other innovative resilient livelihood strategies such as apiculture and honey processing, seedbeds nursery, floating vegetable cultivation, cultivation and marketing of flowers 2,500 individuals (or 50% of the total members of Forest Resource Management Groups) obtain access to coastal forest benefits through benefit-sharing agreement 6,000 CPP volunteers are trained on climate change induced disasters and DRR benefits of coastal greenbelts Approximately 21,000 individuals through protection of communal livelihood assets o 5,000 individuals’ livelihood safeguarded through installation of drainage facilities through coastal embankments o 15,000 individuals’ livestock find safe havens through construction of killas (raised earthen platforms) next to evacuation shelters o 200 households through improvement/climate-proofing of freshwater infrastructure
A full-time M&E officer will be hired to ensure that the implementing partner, responsible party, officers at the district and upazila levels and project-financed Community Development Associates/Assistants are sufficiently capacitated to monitor and track these benefits.
110. At national level, socioeconomic benefits will be enhanced through the integration of community-based approaches into ongoing and planned afforestation and reforestation frameworks and investment programmes. A forest product benefit sharing agreement between government and local communities (under Outcome 2) will ensure that there are economic incentives for the management and nurturing of new greenbelt plantations. By promoting active community engagement across all Outcomes, this project will improve public ownership, reduce conflict and create a culture of integrated land and resource management. This will address the need for greater community engagement outlined in the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
111. Finally, through engagement and training of community-based organisations, the project will develop institutional capacity at the local level, which will support communities’ political engagement, advocacy and participation in participatory, forward-looking risk management. This will greatly be assisted by UNDP’s long-standing track record working with CBOs in the project areas on a variety of livelihood support and disaster management tasks.
2.3.6 Avoiding duplications with major development / adaptation initiatives
112. As presented in the PIF, the Special Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR) is one of the major adaptation projects that is currently under implementation in coastal areas of Bangladesh. The three-pronged focus of the project is: 1) Promoting Climate Resilient Agriculture and Food Security; 2) Coastal Embankments Improvement and Afforestation; and 3) Coastal Climate Resilient Water Supply, Sanitation, and Infrastructure Improvement. They are currently working in 16 Upazilas, of which two (Hatiya and Char Fasson), overlap with the upazilas targeted under the LDCF project. However, it is important to note that the primary focus area of SPCR is inside
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 54 the embankments (i.e. polders) while that of the LDCF project is outside the embankments due to its strong alignment with the coastal afforestation/reforestation work of CRPAR project. The only possibility of overlap is investments envisaged under Output 3.2 – i.e. drainage along the embankments and “climate-proofing” of small-scale water infrastructure (through concrete-lining or raising the platform). The former will be inside the embankments and the latter could also be inside them, depending on the more detailed site assessments during the inception phase. At the same time, the preliminary assessments of MoEF carried out during the PPG identified that the need for drainage and climate-proofing of water infrastructure is particularly high in the following upazilas:
• Golachipa, Hatiya, Patharghata and Rangabali for climate-proofing of water infrastructure • Char Fasson, Hatiya, Monpura for improving drainage along the embankments
113. Given the limited resources in LDCF funding and to avoid potential overlap of investments with SPCR, MoEF therefore decided to focus on Golachipa, Patharaghata and Rangabali for water infrastructure investments and Monpura for drainage investments.
114. That said, SPCR will be an important development partner for exchanging lessons and experiences of climate resilient agricultural practices, climate proofing of small-scale infrastructure, and various other aspects of working in coastal districts as the implementation of the respective projects progresses. Sharing of lessons will be facilitated at two levels in this regard. First, the implementation arrangement of the LDCF project stipulates that a Project Board and a National Steering Committee will be formed. These two bodies will both have representatives from DAE, FD, and LGED that are also engaged in the implementation of SPCR (See Annex 9 for the composition of these bodies). These bodies therefore will be used as a platform for sharing lessons within the Government. The LDCF project also envisages organizing a series of knowledge sharing workshops and events both at the national and local levels; of these those planned under Outputs 1.1 and 2.2 will be especially relevant to SPCR.
115. Another large-scale program in coastal areas, with relatively less emphasis on climate change adaptation than SPCR, is IFAD’s Char Development Settlement Project (CDSP) Phase IV (2011-2017). Although this project also operates in coastal districts, their geographical focus area is remote offshore islands (mainly Nangulia Char, Noler Char, Caring Char, Char Ziauddin, and Urir Char, all in Noakhali district), and there is no geographical overlap with the LDCF target sites. However, as with the case with SPCR, the lessons learned from both projects will be shared continuously during the course of project implementation.
4. Project Objective, Outcomes and Outputs & Proposed Activities
116. The project objective is to: “Reduce vulnerability of communities to the adverse impacts of climate change through participative design, community-based management and diversification of afforestation and reforestation programmes.” The project will achieve this objective by overcoming the barriers outlined in Section 1.5 and delivering the following three outcomes.
Outcome 1: Vulnerability of communities in new afforestation and reforestation sites reduced through diversified livelihood options and more effective greenbelts
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Outcome 2: Strengthened community involvement in, and ownership of, forestry-based adaptation and climate risk reduction programmes
Outcome 3: Communal livelihood assets in afforestation and reforestation sites are protected from extreme climate events through effective early warning and preparedness planning
117. Barriers relating to the technical and financial capacity of the BFD for actual coastal afforestation and reforestation will be addressed through the CRPAR project. The LDCF project will focus on the other remaining barriers to effective coastal greenbelts (Section 1.5), working in close tandem with the CRPAR project to avoid duplication. The project also builds on the achievements and lessons learned to date by the LDCF-supported CBACC project.
118. The project will work in selected Upazilas in coastal districts where the new CRPAR project will be undertaking mangrove afforestation. However, MoEF/BFD decided early on to exclude Cox’s Bazaar and Chittagong districts, where CRPAR project is also undertaking mangrove afforestation in order to focus LDCF-financed interventions along the more exposed coastal areas of other districts. Thus, the project will be working primarily in Noakhali, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola Districts, although additional Districts may be selected for certain project components. At least 7 Upazilas will be targeted under this project where the CRPAR project is undertaking mangrove afforestation (Table 4, Figure 5 and Annex 5). Additional Upazilas may be selected for the mangrove forest diversification trials under Output 1.2, as this component is not directly linked to CRPARP activities.
Table 4 Proposed Project Districts & Upazilas District Upazila Basis for selection 1 Noakhali Hatiya These districts & upazilas were selected through consultation with government officials associated with CRPAR project. 2 Patuakhali Galachipa Key selection criteria included ensuring alignment with Rangabali CRPAR coastal mangrove afforestation sites and avoiding duplication of AF sites. Other considerations included, 3 Barguna Pathargata vulnerability of the local population, availability of land for 4 Bhola Monpura, different adaptation interventions including application of the Triple F model. Five of the selected Upazilas (namely Char Fasson Galachipa, Rangabali, Patharghata, Monpura and Char Tazimuddin Fasson) were among the 11 worst hit upazilas in the recent cyclone Mahasen in 2013. The CBACC project is also working in Barguna, Bhola and Noakhali but the only overlap in Upazilas is in Hatiya. All other proposed Upazilas in this project are new sites.
In addition to the 7 upazilas; following a recommendation of the inter-ministerial meeting held at Economic Relations Division, Mothbaria and Vandaria Upazilas of Pirojpur District and Doulatkhan UPazila of Bhola District will be considered for potential project activities. The number of upazilas will be finalized during the inception phase of the project following discussion with all stakeholders and available resources.
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Figure 5: Distribution of mangrove forest Bangladesh and potential for propagating Fish-Fruit-Forest Model in coastal districts
OUTCOME 1 Vulnerability of communities in new afforestation and reforestation sites reduced through diversified livelihood options and more effective greenbelts
Co-financing amount for Outcome 1 GoB CRPAR project: $ 33,000,000 USAID/CREL: $ 2,000,000 Total co-financing: $35,000,000
LDCF project grant requested: $ 3,240,000
Baseline: 119. GoB has invested heavily in coastal afforestation and reforestation schemes since the 1960s primarily to reduce coastal vulnerability to climate hazards and associated impacts (Sections 1.3 & 2.3.2). However, the protective potential of these coastal greenbelts has not been fully realised due to plantation failure and encroachment (Section 1.3 & 1.5). Perceived economic and adaptive benefits derived from coastal mangrove forests are conventionally based on a short- term view that the greenbelts provide natural shelter against cyclones, in so far as they remain intact, rather than on a medium- to long-term view that integrates longevity and integrity of the ecosystem in the cost-benefit calculation. This is reinforced by the following additional factors: a) there are few incentives in place for local communities to maintain these plantations once
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 57 established; and b) there have been limited attempts to further diversify coastal plantations, which are initially planted with pioneer species such as Keora and Baen, once the newly accreted land has stabilized and inundation patterns have changed making it no longer possible for the pioneer species to regenerate in gaps created by pests or disease.
120. Despite these challenges, however, coastal greenbelts are still regarded as a key frontline strategy for reducing coastal vulnerability and their expansion through afforestation is among the country’s 2005 and 2009 NAPA priorities. Thus, GoB is planning to establish 500m wide mangrove belts as a cost-effective method of protecting coastal embankments in front of sea- facing low-lying coastal lands.74 To date, however, the planning and implementation of baseline afforestation and reforestation activities have been largely divorced from their local socio- economic context and thus lacked specific measures to counter anthropogenic pressures on the long-term sustainability of the coastal belts. Similarly, while numerous organizations and government agencies support a range of interventions to strengthen and diversify local livelihoods, these interventions generally take place in isolation from the establishment and maintenance of coastal greenbelts.
121. The level of understanding about ecological and socioeconomic benefits of diversified coastal plantations is increasing but still insufficient. In particular, the work of both BFRI and CBACC offers an important starting point in better understanding the appropriate mix of mangrove and non-mangrove trees depending on the salinity and inundation pattern of different areas (see Table 5 below). However, these results and impacts of these trials have not been captured, synthesized and made available in a systematic manner. For example, insights into different types and stream of benefits from forests of different ages and different management needs based on empirical trials are still limited.
Table 5: Salinity zone & range tolerated by different mangrove species
Saline Zones & Salinity Range Name of the selected species (ppt=parts per thousand) Low Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia nilotica, Pithecellobium dulce, Acacia 1. auriculiformis, Samanea saman, Albizia procera, Thespesia popilnea and (10 – 15 ppt.) Terminalia arjuna Moderate Casuarina equisetifolia, P. dulce, Leucaena leucocephala, D. sissoo, A. 2. (up to 20 ppt.) procera, A. auriculiformis, T. arjuna and S. saman Moderately High L. leucocephala, T. populnea, C. equisetifolia, A. auriculiformis, S. saman 3. (up to 30 ppt.) and D. sissoo Extremely High 4. A. nilotica, C. equisetifolia and A. auriculiformis (above 30 ppt.)
122. The recently approved BCCRF-financed Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation & Reforestation project (CRPARP) is a new, large-scale government undertaking, which will be supporting amongst other things the establishment of over 5,700 ha of additional mangrove greenbelts along the coastline including over 5,000 ha in the most vulnerable coastal districts targeted by this project (Section 2.3.2). While the new forests will in theory provide “cost effective”
74 World Bank 2013. CRPARP Project Appraisal Document.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 58 natural buffers against future cyclones and storm surges75, in practice, the long-term cost- effectiveness of such greenbelts is questionable unless greater consideration is given to: a) alternative and additional livelihood opportunities in order to reduce anthropogenic pressures on forests; and b) more resilient planting practices to increase the diversity of these forests, thereby strengthening their resilience against pests and climate variability and thus their ability to sustain the necessary plant density per hectare to buffer and withstand the effects of rising water temperatures, water levels and salinity levels.
123. To achieve the long-term sustainability of coastal greenbelts, it is essential that these two factors are integrated into the design of large-scale coastal afforestation/reforestation programmes. Addressing a) and b) above are mutually-reinforcing – as seen in Table 2, alternative livelihoods and diversified mangrove forests offer two streams of incentives to local communities for better management of coastal mangrove forests as they go through different stages of maturity over time. However, in the CRPAR project, only 10% of budget is allocated for the alternative livelihoods development component and an even smaller fraction is expected to be allocated for testing more resilient planting practices such as enrichment plantation76.
124. The Arannayk Foundation (AF), which will implement the livelihoods component of the CRPAR project, plans to work in 200 villages in 9 coastal districts and to target 6,000 beneficiary households comprising around 25,000 individuals in areas where the CRPAR project is undertaking mangrove and other types of non-mangrove block plantations and strip plantations. AF will work only in areas where plantation size is at least 10ha or more. Specific options for livelihood diversification will be identified on the basis of site-based field assessments but are likely to involved schemes relating to animal husbandry, facilitating transport, etc. However, the livelihoods-based interventions under the CRPAR project will only target a very small proportion of the total vulnerable coastal population given that there are around 26.5 million people living in Bangladesh’s 11 most exposed coastal districts, of which nine will be covered by this CRPAR project. Over 25% of the most exposed coastal people, or 7.6 million people, live in the active delta in the central region of the coast, comprising the districts of Bhola, Lakshmipur, Noakhali and parts of Patuakhali and Feni, and are especially at risk from climate-related impacts.77 While the proportion of people living outside the embankment in these districts is not known precisely, this figure is also likely to be quite significant (Section 1.4).78 In just Hatiya Upazila, Noakhali District alone, for example (one of this project’s target upazilas), nearly 200,000 people, or 44% of the Upazila’s total population of over 452,000, live outside the embankment.79 Thus, the BFD considers that the target number of beneficiaries envisaged in the alternative livelihood component of the CRPAR project is too limited considering the overall number of vulnerable, natural resource-dependent households in the coastal region. This investment of 10% on Alternative Income Generation under the CRPAR project will therefore not in itself be sufficient to
75 World Bank 2013. CRPARP Project Appraisal Document 76 The exact volume of this activity is still unknown at this stage. 77 S. Ahmad & K. de Wilde 2011. Setting the Stage. Chapter 1 In: K. de Wilde (ed). Moving Coastlines: Emergence and Use of Land in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Estuary. The University Press Limited, Dhaka. p. 5 78 There are no reliable statistics for the number of people living outside coastal embankments. However, based on knowledge obtained from the first LDCF CBACC project, it is estimated that the proportion of households living outside embankments varies between 10-45% of households in individual coastal Upazilas. 79 Statistics Office, Upazila Parishad Hatiya, from 2011 Government Census Data
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 59 generate adequate economic incentives for local communities to be willing to become responsible stewards of the coastal greenbelt.
Adaptation alternative:
125. LDCF funding will be used to enhance the long-term sustainability and protective and economic value of major new baseline coastal afforestation and reforestation in four highly vulnerable central coastal districts of Bangladesh by complementing and expanding on activities undertaken under the CRPAR project. With LDCF support, alternative livelihood diversification strategies developed and tested by the CBACC project will be replicated and scaled up in new afforestation/reforestation sites in the CRPAR project. A key focus of this Outcome is to demonstrate synergetic benefits in an explicit manner from new coastal mangrove plantations, which act as natural shields to protect lives but also to protect and offer complementary livelihood sources (Outcome 2)80. LDCF funds will not be used to undertake any new plantation work, which will only be undertaken by the baseline project. Instead, these will be used to support approximately 10,500 households (corresponding to more than 40,000 individuals) in at least seven upazilas in these four districts to undertake a range of livelihood diversification measures, including new forms and combinations of agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture and animal husbandry depending on the specific context of individual households, including land and input availability and overall capacity.
126. Additionally, LDCF funds will be used to build on the work done by CBACC to date by undertaking mixed species diversification of existing coastal plantations of varying age in order to test strategies for both increasing the overall natural resilience of coastal plantations and understanding their potential to generate additional benefits for local communities, thereby creating additional incentives for communities to support their long-term maintenance. Moreover, LDCF support will be used to promote the systematic capture and synthesis of results generated by the diversification trials on the benefits that can be derived from different types of diversified plantations (i.e. in terms of species composition, structure and age) as well as on the management needs of these different plantation types. This will make a significant contribution to the somewhat sparse existing national body of knowledge on the nature and quantity of benefits that can be generated from different types of coastal mangrove plantations.
127. Thus, the LDCF-supported adaptation alternative encompasses strategies to strengthen the sustainability of the coastal greenbelt in the short to long-term. This is a significant departure from the underlying principle of the CRPAR project which makes limited explicit connection between livelihood support and responsibilities for better stewardship of coastal forests. Additionally, while the CRPAR project will be spending some resources on testing strategies for enhancing coastal forest resilience through enrichment planting, this is viewed solely as a measure to strengthen the natural resilience of these forests. Unlike the LDCF project, the CRPAR one does not envisage any potential direct benefit-sharing with local communities from coastal greenbelts as a result of greater species diversification.
128. Finally, the interventions planned under Outcome 1 have been designed to form part of an integrated suite of measures by complementing and supporting activities proposed under Outcomes 2 and 3. The livelihood diversification undertaken under Output 1.1 including any new
80 Due to the unavailability of the information of the specific locations of the BCCRF afforestation and livelihood assistance interventions at the time of the submission, a map visually indicating the synergetic benefits cannot be provided at this point in time (as indicated in the PIF). However, as soon as it becomes available, a map similar to Figure 5 above will be produced.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 60 assets that are created will become better protected from climate risks through the activities undertaken under Outcome 3 on climate-proofing of communal assets. Similarly, the linking of livelihood support to better stewardship of new and existing coastal plantations will also be connected to activities undertaken under Outcome 2 to demonstrate strategies for increased benefit-sharing and co-management of coastal forests by local communities and government.
Output 1.1 Community-based adaptation and livelihood diversification measures are integrated with baseline afforestation and reforestation activities in 4 districts
129. The MoEF will use LDCF resources to support a range of strategies to increase the resilience of local livelihoods around coastal afforestation and reforestation sites by targeting new livelihood strategies that are more climate resilient. As outlined in the preliminary beneficiary selection criteria (Annex 4), the focus of this sub-component will be on landless or land-poor households, whose livelihoods are currently limited to daily labour and natural-resource based activities such as fishing. Some interventions will be targeted at farmers with land rights and sharecroppers. Landless and land-poor households, who make up nearly 54% of the local population, will benefit through livelihood diversification strategies that either do not rely on having access to land, such as support for more resilient animal husbandry production processes, or through land-based strategies where the project has facilitated access to land as CBACC has done.
130. Activities under this Output will also support the development of individual capacity to identify and implement appropriate climate-resilient livelihood strategies. Thus, training will be provided on new animal husbandry techniques, cultivation of new crops, and adjusting cropping calendars and practices.
131. Additionally, provision of support for livelihood diversification will be linked to individual/community agreements to help protect the coastal greenbelts, which in turn protect the livelihood assets and increase the adaptive value of the plantations. This will be integrated into the process of selecting beneficiaries and incorporated into community-based monitoring under the new co-management mechanisms piloted under Outcome 2.
Strategies targeting landless and land-poor households 132. Pigeon farming and duck rearing have both been shown to be extremely suited to the coastal context as people can move these animals more easily to shelter during extreme weather events. These domestic birds are also not affected by salinity unlike chickens. They also require far fewer inputs to maintain and manage than larger domestic animals such as goats, sheep or cattle and can provide year round incomes unlike other sources of local livelihood.
133. Those living closest to the sea (often fishers who also engage in some share-cropping) can also be provided support for mud crab culture, which can be an extremely lucrative source of income. This involves creating small ponds surrounded by small barriers in which wild baby crab spawn collected from estuaries is released and grown for 3-4 months until they reach a suitable size for sale to local markets. The ponds must be located near the sea as they need to be replenished regularly with saline water. While the market is relatively specialized – only non- Muslims in Bangladesh generally eat crabs for cultural reasons – there is very large demand for mud crabs from hotels and restaurants. Crabs can fetch BDT 400-500/kg and is also a year round activity.
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134. Additionally, the project will also support the implementation of the Fish-Fruit-Forest (FFF) Model that has been trialled successfully under the CBACC project and shown to deliver multiple benefits to participating households, particularly for landless and land-poor households.
135. The FFF model combines a ditch and dyke approach to combining small plantations of mangrove and palm species (serving predominantly protective functions), interspersed with fruit trees (e.g. Bau Kul and Apple Guava) with aquaculture (serving predominantly economic and livelihood support functions) in the ditches or ponds. The dykes essentially comprise the long earthen mounds that surround each ditch. The top surface of the mounds provides an opportunity to grow trees and vegetables, which not only provide additional line of protection from sea surges, but also provide income sources from harvests. Aquaculture in the ditches sustains fish and duck production by local communities.
136. There have been some dramatic examples of increased crop and fish production and additional income arising from CBACC interventions using the FFF model. The Mid-Term Evaluation of the project in December 2011 documented the following achievements:
Household income of Bangladesh Taka 20,000 (c. US$250) from vegetable production A projected annual income of Taka 100,000 from vegetables and fruits on the better- managed dykes An increase from 25 kg to 100k fish from aquaculture in some ponds, generating up to Taka 12,000 per pond, with an average production of 140-150kg/year representing an income of c. US$300 per pond per year. A six-fold increase in rice yields on salinated lands through use of salt-tolerant rice varieties reported by one farmer. 10-20kg fruit production/tree of Bau kul (Ziziphus mauritania) and Apple guava (Psidium guajava) after 2-3 years, representing an income of c. US$700/mound.
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Figure 6: Graphical representation of community-based ‘Fish, Fruit and Forest’ (FFF) model
Source: BFD & UNDP, 2010
137. In the case of CBACC, eight ditches and dykes were constructed in one hectare of land, with one ditch (pond) and dyke (mound) going to one household and the cost-effectiveness of the FFF model is well demonstrated: for the average cost of BDT235,000 or c. US$3,000 for constructing one unit (i.e. comprising 8 ditches and dykes), beneficiaries from the CBACC project generally generated US$1,000/family/year from the first year, i.e. US$8,000/unit. This represents a more than doubling of annual income for the average landless or land-poor household (with <0.04 acres), which had annual incomes of US$876 and US$912, respectively, in 2010.81 A large part of the construction costs is also used as wages for community labour thereby further benefiting local communities.
138. The FFF model thus has tremendous potential to improve the incomes and livelihood resilience of the very poor in coastal areas. However, its implementation is contingent on obtaining sufficient land, which can be challenging given the many competing demands on this very scarce resource. Thus, under this project, the MoEF/BFD proposes to reduce the unit size of the FFF model in order to increase the overall number of beneficiaries to 16 per ha or FFF unit of 8 dykes and ditches. While this may reduce the average income received per participating household, it
81 Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2010. Chapter 4. http://www.bbs.gov.bd/webtestapplication/userfiles/image/HIES-10/Chapter-04.pdf
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 63 could still represent a 50% increase in average incomes with a greater number of people benefiting overall while doubling the number of beneficiaries.
139. Other livelihood diversification strategies that will be supported include apiculture and honey processing, seedbeds nursery, floating vegetable cultivation, cultivation and marketing of flowers.
Strategies targeting households with access to land (i.e. sharecroppers & small landowners) 140. Households with access to land will be given support to help them diversify their cropping strategies and cultivation practices, for example, through the introduction saline-tolerant rice varieties and new forms of inter-cropping. Rice remains the most important crop in Bangladesh, but there is need to increase local capacity and technical know-how to be able to identify and cultivate the most appropriate species given the impacts of climate variability and climate change as well as to adopt additional practices such as parallel rice and fish cultivation to take advantage of seasonal floodplain inundation. In a study by CGIAR in 2012 on environmental and climate- related factors driving changes in cultivation practices, higher salinity was mentioned by 25% of respondents as a key factor, and the emergence of new pests and diseases was cited by 21% of households.
141. The project will therefore build on the work of CBACC, which has trialled several salt- tolerant rice varieties and achieved a six-fold increase in rice yields on salinated lands in some areas, as well as promote the cultivation of fruit trees, which can generate considerable income. For example, both Bau kul (Ziziphus mauritania) and Apple guava (Psidium guajava) can generate an income of c. US$700/mound from 10-20kg fruit production after 2-3 years growth.
142. Additionally, LDCF resources will be used to support the introduction of aquaculture species adapted to high temperatures and changed salinities and promote polyculture and fish- rice rotation in relevant areas as well as integrated water management for rice cultivation and brackish water aquaculture. For example, cultivating low-salt tolerant fish (e.g. Mono-sex telapia and carps) in mini ponds using rainwater was found to be profitable in several demonstrations. This water was also used to irrigate rice fields during the dry season under a share-cropping arrangement.
Indicative Activities • Organize community meetings to link project support for livelihood diversification to explicit agreements on protecting coastal greenbelt • Construct dykes and ditches (i.e. the Fish-Fruit-Forest model) using climate- resilient species and techniques adjacent to new greenbelt structures following the tested configurations under the CBACC • Diversify livestock rearing options by introducing pigeon and duck farming • Introduce small-scale crab farming in ponds and dyke structures adjacent to new greenbelts • Diversify rice cultivation through introduction of salt-tolerant varieties and promoting fish-rice rotation • Propagate aquaculture in dyke structures of mound-and-dyke plantations; • Carry out face-to-face training, targeting land-poor and landless households, focusing on climate resilient alternative livelihood strategies (Year 1-3 targeting 10,500 households) • Carry out an assessment to gauge the level of adherence to the agreed beneficiary selection criteria (in response to the Environmental and Social Screening Procedure – Annex 12)
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• Organize at least two national and local level knowledge sharing workshop on the successful demonstrations of investments under this Output
Output 1.2 Diversified trial plantations of up to 10 mangrove and non-mangrove varieties established in 4 districts to increase the adaptive capacity of greenbelt structures on accreted lands
143. Building on the work of BFRI and CBACC, LDCF resources will be used by the Forest Department to demonstrate the natural and adaptive benefits of mixed mangrove plantations in older monoculture/low-species diversity plantations that are degrading due to changed ecological conditions, susceptibility to pests and lack of natural succession and regeneration. These trial plantations, which will be implemented in 4 districts by the Forest Department, will demonstrate new and innovative mixes of tree varieties, regenerate gaps in existing monoculture greenbelts and increase the abilities of mangrove plantations to adapt to climate change-related pressures (salinity, inundation, temperature, wind). The project will target a total of 650 ha of plantations for species diversification over four years (with 12 different species), a significant increase from the 100 ha of trial carried out by BFRI/CBACC. Plantations at different stages of growth, but that are sufficiently stabilized (i.e. over at least 4-5 years old), will be targeted for diversification with indigenous species in order to also assess their potential to generate benefits for local communities. Specific sites will be confirmed during the project inception phase but will include a mixture of sites where CBACC has established plantations that are now around 4-5 years old and older plantations.
144. Based on BFRI’s research findings, the following species, which have been found best suited for diversification of coastal greenbelts, will be planted in different combinations based on inundation regime and topography of forest floor: • Sundari (Heritiera fomes) • Gewa (Excoecaria agllocha) • Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis) • Shingra (Cynometra ramiflora) • Khalshi (Aegiceras corniculatum) • Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) • Hanthal (Phoenix paludosa) • Goran (Ceriops dacandra) • Golpata (Nypa fruticans)
145. More concerted systematic efforts to undertake enrichment planting of older mangrove plantations offers an opportunity to introduce new tree varieties of greater direct economic value to local communities that can yield both short-term and longer-term NTFP benefits, such as fruits, tannin bark, thatch, honey and oil, bee wax, fish, prawn, crab, shrimp and lime82.
146. As under CBACC, local communities will be actively involved in the diversification trials, particularly in the establishment and tending of nurseries and subsequent planting and post- planting maintenance for at least three years. Actual plantation of new species generally begins only one year after the nurseries have been established in order to have sufficient saplings of the right age for planting. Women will be involved in all stages of mixed species diversification work.
82 Based on NTFP collected in Sundarbans. See for example, Singh, A., P. Bhattacharya, P. Vyas, & S. Roy. (2010). Contribution of NTFP in the livelihood of mangrove forest dwellers of Sundarban. Journal of Human Ecology. Vol: 29. Issue: 3. pp: 191
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147. Lastly, LDCF resources will be used by the Forest Department to carry out an assessment of the types and timing of benefits that are generated from diversified coastal forests in different ages as well as management needs for such forests. Results from such an assessment will strengthen the existing knowledge body on coastal mangrove plantations, which will feed into the design of the benefit-sharing agreement envisaged under Outcome 2. The close partnership with CBACC project will enable that those diversified (model) plantations started in CBACC, that will be 5-9 years in age, to be also assessed. This presents an important opportunity for obtaining insights into different potential benefits from coastal forests with a wider range of maturity. In particular, the assessment will investigate the following aspects of diversified coastal forest plantations: a) the nature, quantity and timing of benefits that can be generated from different species associated with more diversified coastal mangrove greenbelts e.g. through NTFP collection; b) overall integrity and ecological condition of the forest compared to monoculture sites; c) the key parameters that determine mangrove forest integrity and ecosystem functions, including the generation of selected tangible NTFP benefits; d) management needs to maintain ecological integrity, strengthen natural resilience and the generation of a range of direct and indirect benefits to local communities; and e) any negative environmental/ecological impacts from the introduction of multiple species.
Indicative Activities • Confirm plantation sites and areas for mixed species trials and further assessments of the tangible benefits of coastal forest diversification • Undertake seed collection (either from previously planted trees or from Sundarbans natural forest particularly Nypa fruticans) and pre-treatment of seeds before sowing and establish tree nurseries to raise seedlings of different species for planting • Engage and train local communities in nursery management (watering, tending seedlings etc); prepare sites for plantation (weeding, site layout, etc); • Maintain newly planted seedlings for at least 3 years. • Develop and implement a monitoring plan for the systematic assessment of the impact of enrichment plantations in older plantations where some diversification has already been trialled, such as those under CBACC • Analyse and synthesise key findings on options for strengthening natural resilience and economic value of coastal forest from systematic assessment of mixed species trials and diversified plantations for wider dissemination and replication.
OUTCOME 2 Strengthened community involvement in, and ownership of, forestry-based adaptation and climate risk reduction programmes
Co-financing amount for Outcome 2 USAID/CREL: $ 8,000,000 Total co-financing: $ 8,000,000
LDCF project grant requested: $ 640,000
Baseline:
148. Existing baseline forestry projects offer limited opportunities for community engagement in coastal forest establishment and maintenance. Historically, at the time of establishing the forest,
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 66 community participation has been limited to employment as daily wage labour for tending nursery plantations, planting of mangrove seedlings and initial protection of the young seedlings (Section 1.5.2). Once the forest is established, community members are hardly engaged in the management of forest resources. Although forest product sharing options have been clarified through the Social Forestry Rules of 2004 & its 2010 amendment, actual benefit-sharing options envisaged in these rules are restricted to non-mangrove species and benefits accruing to communities from mangrove greenbelt forests are currently anyways limited due to both low species diversity and the limited economic potential of planted species to local communities and government concerns about their ability to ensure sustainable use (Section 1.5.2). Absence of a formal agreement in which local communities are given access to various tangible benefits generated by the coastal greenbelt forests over time, coupled with the limited roles they play in the management of the forests, results in an on-going incentive structure that drives some community members to exploit, rather than protect, forest resources.
149. Threats to coastal greenbelts arising from local activities are further compounded by weak inter-sectoral coordination on adaptation and disaster risk reduction, which limits potential synergies between different departments to strengthen local understanding of the adaptive significance of coastal greenbelts and to provide climate risk reduction measures in a more coordinated and effective fashion (Section 1.5.4). While a number of platforms for inter-sectoral cooperation already exist at District, Upazila and Union level such as the District Development and Coordination Committee and the Upazila and Union-level Development & Coordination Committees, these currently do not address local adaptation issues in an integrated manner. Key sectors that could potentially generate considerable adaptation gains by working more closely together would include BFD, which is tasked with coastal afforestation, BWDB, which is in charge of coastal embankments, including land up to 1 km either side of the embankment and the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), which has responsibility for disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation. However, at present there is no formal coordination between BFD, BWDB or DDM to explore potential synergies and complementarities, which could also generate cost- savings amongst other benefits.
150. The CBACC project is among the pioneer projects in Bangladesh to promote greater community participation and inter-sectoral coordination specifically in coastal forest management through the establishment of Co-Management Committees (CMC), which have been piloted in Bangladesh by earlier projects in the context of Protected Areas and inland aquatic resources with considerable success (Section 2.3.3 and below). In the case of CBACC, the CMCs are essentially formal sub-national dialogue platforms that serve to increase understanding among local government and community representatives about the adaptive role of coastal greenbelts as well as to share information on local adaptation needs and how these can be met more strategically. Membership of CBACC CMCs includes local government departments as well as civil society members and elected political representatives. Furthermore, CMCs are linked to the district-level through the project District Steering Committee. CMCs are therefore also an effective mechanism for not only promoting greater understanding of the value of coastal greenbelts, but also for strengthening community engagement and horizontal and vertical inter-sectoral coordination aimed at the improved management of coastal forests and other measures to increase local livelihood resilience. CBACC CMCs provide an important platform for information sharing and discussion, as well as helping to identify government services and schemes available to coastal communities to increase their adaptive capacity. Additionally, the CBACC project also promoted knowledge sharing programmes by arranging inter-district exposure visits for selected government officials across project sites. This in turn has contributed to developing institutional understanding and motivation to replicate successful adaptation strategies that are being demonstrated by CBACC. Despite the contributions CBACC has made in establishing formal
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 67 dialogue platforms for improved understanding about the value of coastal greenbelts and greater engagement of coastal communities, they have not been designed to facilitate benefit-sharing agreement for community members for enhancing incentives for community stewardship over mangrove resources.
151. As noted earlier (Section 2.3.3), USAID too has supported several pioneering initiatives on co-management and natural resource benefit sharing in the context of wildlife Protected Areas (PAs) and inland aquatic systems through the work of the Nishorgo Support Project (NSP), the Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry Project (MACH) Project and the Integrated Protected Area Co-management Project (IPAC).83 These projects have generated a wealth of experience and lessons on community mobilization for natural resource management in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on PAs and biodiversity conservation. For example, IPAC has developed benefit-sharing schemes in PAs in which park entry fees are shared on a 50:50 basis between government and local communities. While the actual revenues generated are relatively small, this remains a significant achievement in terms of establishing a precedent as well as its coverage84. Additionally, USAID has also facilitated benefit-sharing schemes for Non- Timber Forest Products in relation to the Sunderbans National Park, which is currently in a draft form pending approval by the GoB.
152. A key lesson demonstrated by MACH and Nishorgo is that co-management (with representation of all stakeholders) is a more effective strategy for sustainable natural resource management than either a top-down, governmental approach or working only with Community- Based Organizations (CBOs), which are frequently powerless in the face of local elites and others. Interestingly, these projects were also successful in actively engaging women, who are of course major stakeholders in natural resource use and management, as they (along with children) are generally the primary collectors of fuel, fodder, construction materials such as bamboo, and water. The Nishorgo Support Project was even able to set up women’s forest patrol groups. Thus, the recently launched Climate Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods Programme (CREL), the successor to these earlier USAID initiatives on co-management in Bangladesh (Section 2.3.3), continues to have a strong focus on the management and conservation of PAs and biodiversity through co-management, but with a growing emphasis on reducing people’s vulnerability to climate change.
153. The experience of CBACC and USAID has shown the potential of CMCs and other village- level institutions to greatly strengthen community engagement and ownership of natural resources management as well as inter-sectoral cooperation through the CMCs and related institutions. However, despite the many positive experiences of these projects, there remains some reluctance within BFD to enter into co-management arrangements with local communities in relation to coastal forests for the reasons already discussed in Section 1.5.3. Thus although the new CRPAR project will be involving local communities to some extent in patrolling and participatory monitoring, there are currently no plans to develop or enter into co-management or benefit- sharing agreements with communities in relation to the new coastal mangrove plantations that will be established under the CRPAR project.85 At the same time, under the existing design of CREL, there is no provision for exploring the co-management and benefit-sharing potential of coastal greenbelts. Thus, under the business-as-usual situation, there remains a significant lost
83 USAID 2010. Bangladesh Environment Sector Assessment and Strategic Analysis: Final Report. Prosperity, Livelihoods and Conserving Ecosystems. 84 This benefit-sharing agreement established through these projects now applies to all PAs in the country except Sundarbans. 85 World Bank 2013. CRPARP Project Appraisal Document. Annex 8, p. 117/Paras 10
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 68 opportunity for building resilience in coastal communities – an opportunity that would be realized through bringing the tested co-management and benefit-sharing approaches to the coastal setting and thus removing on-going anthropogenic threats that currently lead to the degradation and loss of the new plantations.
Adaptation alternative:
154. Under Outcome 2, LDCF funds will be used to change the underlying incentive structure that currently drives coastal forest degradation and loss in Bangladesh. This will be achieved by three tightly integrated sets of activities that are further supported by activities undertaken under Outcomes 1 and 3 as follows. Under Output 2.1, the Implementing Partner will mobilize local communities in the project target upazilas to form at least 40 local Forest Resources Protection Groups (FRPGs) at village/community-level and a Co-management Committee (CMC) in each target upazila. Each FRPG is expected to have 100-150 community members. Under Output 2.2, forest-benefit sharing schemes will be developed and piloted in different sites identified under Output 1.2 to demonstrate the types of benefit streams that can be generated from plantations. This would also include comparing benefits that can be derived from plantations with different species composition and at different stages of growth.
155. Based on the findings of these demonstrations (Output 1.2), a draft notification on forest product benefit-sharing for coastal mangrove plantations will be prepared. While the establishment of CMCs, FRPGs and benefit-sharing agreements will contribute to heightened awareness and greater joint community and institutional engagement on coastal plantations, this will likely not be enough to shift institutional attitudes to co-management and benefit-sharing in coastal plantations or to develop the skills and knowledge needed by government officials and local community representatives to implement such approaches effectively in the coastal zone. Thus, under Output 2.3, LDCF funds will also be used to support targeted awareness generation and capacity development of BFD and other relevant government stakeholders and of community representatives, including women, to enable them to negotiate and agree rights and responsibilities over coastal forest management and benefit- sharing and fulfil these. Output 2.3 focuses on delivering training and other activities to develop co-management capacity within local communities and key government actors in the project’s target upazilas. Capacity development will be targeted at the Co-Management Committees (CMCs) and Forest Resources Protection Groups (FRPGs) established under Output 2.1.
156. In delivering these Outputs, the project will build on CBACC’s experiences of CMCs and forest diversification as well as USAID’s vast experience on co-management and benefit-sharing in the context of wildlife PAs and inland aquatic systems. Consultations during the project preparatory phase revealed that USAID is interested in exploring the co-management potential of coastal greenbelts to realise their full adaptive potential. However, never having worked on co- management in the context of coastal greenbelts, which are quite different ecologically and institutionally from wildlife Protected Areas and more natural ecosystems, USAID did not design CREL to include coastal districts as its intervention sites. The partnership with the LDCF project would enable CREL to apply USAID’s extensive experience on co-management and benefit- sharing to coastal greenbelts.
157. Thus, USAID co-financing will be used to provide technical guidance on the design and operation of CMCs and FRPGs under Output 2.1 as well as to provide selected elements of capacity development for CMC and FRPG members under Output 2.3. USAID will also provide their expertise to help design and evaluate forest-benefit sharing schemes as well as the draft national notification on coastal greenbelt benefit-sharing that will be developed under Output 2.2.
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CBACC’s experience will also inform many activities under Outcome 2, particularly the establishment and operation of the CMCs to ensure that these also serve as useful inter-sectoral dialogue and coordination platforms.
158. At the same time, the proposed LDCF project will contribute its extensive experience on facilitating various climate resilient livelihood options to the CREL program. Albeit the term ‘climate resilience’ in its title, activities that are promoted in CREL are geared towards improved ecosystem management and protection of biodiversity given USAID’s evident comparative advantage in this area in Bangladesh. As a result, alternative livelihood measures that will be promoted through CREL – the element in the project that gives rise to the term ‘climate resilient’ – are rather limited in variety and approaches. Options that are currently being considered are those that rely less on natural resources such as weaving, handicrafts, and backyards ponds. The additionality that LDCF resources will bring to CREL, therefore, is technical expertise and experience in promoting a wider range of climate-resilient livelihood activities. Some of the options are based on the principle of effective/resilient use of natural ecosystems (as opposed to the approach of reducing the reliance on ecosystem), which will provide expanded resilient livelihood options for beneficiaries in the CREL program. The ways in which LDCF resources are leveraging the baseline CREL program is depicted in the figure below.
CREL’s existing baseline alternative livelihood options: Weaving (Specific sites are to be determined, Handicrafts but not in coastal districts) Backyards ponds CREL’s expertise in facilitating community- Inputs into the design management and benefit- and implementation of sharing agreement for CC-resilient alternative improved livelihoods ecosystem/habitat protection and natural Expertise and experience in resources management promoting climate-resilient livelihoods: FFF LDCF investments in Integrated farming (fish/rice) establishing 40 FRPGs in Tolerant rice varieties coastal districts for better Floating vegetable cultivation stewardship over coastal Livestock vaccination greenbelts
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159. The combined impact of LDCF’s support for the implementation of the outputs under Outcomes 1 and 2 will be to bring about a fundamental shift in the local cost-benefit calculus in relation to coastal mangrove plantations as a result of complementing livelihood diversification with tangible benefits from forests and a greater role in their management.
Output 2.1 Existing systems of participatory natural resource management applied to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal afforestation/reforestation programmes
160. The proposed project will leverage USAID’s extensive experience on supporting co- management and benefit-sharing and also build on the more recent experiences of the CBACC project in this area and on strengthening inter-sectoral coordination to establish and implement two key mechanisms for greater engagement of communities in coastal plantation management and benefit-sharing, namely Co-Management Committees (CMCs) and village/community-level Forest Resource Management Groups (FRPGs). Based on experiences from USAID and CBACC, a two-tier institutional structure is proposed: a lower tier, the FRPGs at the village/community-level, focuses on empowering local communities to engage effectively on coastal forest management and benefit-sharing; and an upper tier, the CMCs at upazila level, to serve the functions of facilitating dialogue between local communities and local government on coastal forest co-management and benefit-sharing, linking livelihood diversification and improved stewardship of coastal forests and strengthening horizontal inter-sectoral dialogue and coordination at the Upazila level and above86. The membership, representation from various stakeholders, responsibilities of these groups, and ToRs will be finalized through a Government Order as have been done in the USAID initiatives.
161. Particular attention will be given to ensuring there is good participation of women both FRPGs and the CMCs as both USAID’s and CBACC’s experience show that there is good scope for empowering disadvantaged women through co-management by ensuring their involvement in such community-based institutions and by developing their actual capacity for co-management and taking on positions of responsibility for example by acting as representatives in the CMCs.
Indicative Activities
• In consultation with MoEF and USAID, finalize the structure of the FRPGs and CMCs • Mobilize local communities to form 40 FRPGs in sites targeted for forest-benefit sharing identified under 2.2 • Develop and agree rules for FRPG membership and operation, including decision-making processes, roles and responsibilities of members, engagement with CMCs, monitoring and reporting. • Develop and agree local coastal forest stewardship plan with each individual FRPG. • Organize trainings targeting all 40 FRPGs (Year 2-4) • Support implementation of local coastal forest stewardship plan including monitoring, reporting of pre-agreed growth parameters and signs of encroachment and plantation gaps • Support formation of CMCs in sites targeted for forest-benefit sharing identified under Output 2.2
86 This structure, by and large, follows what was tested in USAID initiatives. For example, in the Forest PA Co- Management model adopted in Nishorgo, four different platforms were established at two-tiers: Co-management Council and Co-management Committee both at the Upazila level and People’s Forum and Village Conservation Forum at the village/community level. The proposed two-tier structure in the LDCF project envisages combining the functions of these respective groups in the two tiers adopted in Nishorgo for simplicity. More details of the responsibilities of each of these bodies in Nishorgo are provided in Annex 6.
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• Organize trainings targeting all 7 CMCs (Year 1-4) on benefit-sharing agreement, inter- sectoral dialogues on the management of coastal greenbelts, and management needs. • Develop and agree rules for CMC membership and operation, including decision-making processes, roles and responsibilities of members, engagement with FRPGs, engagement with upazila Disaster Management Committees and monitoring and reporting. • Arrange regular meetings between FRPGs and CMCs, and report back to national level project technical working group established under Output 2.2 • Facilitate CMC participation in Disaster Management Committee meetings at upazila level • Draft an official policy (e.g. a Government Order) detailing structure, functions (i.e. roles and responsibilities), decision-making and monitoring processes of FRPGs and CMCs for issuance to be adopted by the GoB during the course of implementation of the project
Output 2.2 A forest product benefit sharing agreement between coastal communities and national government developed and adopted
162. Under Output 2.2, the Implementing Partner will develop and pilot benefit-sharing schemes in coastal plantations. This will be the first time where such an agreement, now widely accepted in Protected Areas in Bangladesh largely due to the efforts of the baseline USAID initiatives, is extended to cover coastal plantations. Development and adoption of a forest benefit- sharing agreement in coastal areas will be pivotal in altering the existing misaligned incentive structure and thus increasing the sense of stewardship over coastal forest resources. It is important to recognize that Output 1.2, which aims at establishing 650 ha of diversified (model) plantations, is a critical prerequisite for developing a benefit-sharing agreement arrangement envisaged under this Output since more meaningful streams of benefits can only be expected by artificially changing the composition of mangrove forests from single-species dominant ones to those with many varieties as discussed earlier.
163. As the types of benefits that accrue from coastal mangrove forests evolve as mangrove forests mature and as this is the first attempt for the GoB to extend such an agreement into mangrove forests, the process of developing such an agreement will inevitably need to be experimental. In the first half of the project implementation, the BFD will work with BFRI/CBACC to carry out a systematic assessment of the types and volume of benefits, predominantly restricted to NTFP, from diversified plantations in different age groups (an activity envisaged in Output 1.2). Subsequently, during the second half of the project implementation, the findings will feed into the design of an agreement that will be supported by a Government Notification.
164. A technical working group, at the national level, will be formed to guide and over-see the activities envisaged under this Output. This working group, represented by not only government agencies but research institutions such as BFRI and NGOs and development partners, will review findings from Output 1.2, draft a benefit-sharing agreement, and continuously monitor the demonstrations of the agreement until it is finalized in the Notification. As discussed in Output 2.1, discussions at FRPGs and CMCs will be shared with this group in order to ensure that the progress on sub-national inter-sectoral dialogues is shared with national-level stakeholders.
Indicative Activities • Establish a technical working group to develop a draft forest product benefit-sharing agreement for coastal plantations. • Develop forest benefit-sharing agreements with individual FRPGs that specify details of benefits to be shared, when, where, how, etc and also define the roles and responsibilities of the different parties to the agreement.
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• Test, monitor and evaluate forest benefit-sharing agreements in selected sites in terms of actual usage, type of benefits accrued, and any issues that are observed and need to be addressed. • Analyze and synthesize results and lessons learned from demonstration forest benefit- sharing under this Output and from assessments conducted under Output 1.2 on mixed species diversification of coastal plantations. • Facilitate broader policy discussions at subnational and national level on draft notification on forest product benefit-sharing in coastal plantations (Year 2-4).
Output 2.3 Awareness and capacity of local communities and government staff to promote coastal greenbelt co-management and benefit sharing improved
165. The establishment and effective operation of both CMCs and FRPGs to implement co- management and forest benefit-sharing schemes will require considerable awareness generation and capacity development to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders. First, local communities and government officials will need to be made aware of the real benefits of engaging in these processes and mechanisms for which they will need greater exposure to the achievements of USAID, CBACC and others in this arena as well as a clearer understanding of the how coastal forests contribute to local resilience. Government officials will also need to overcome a long-standing institutional culture based on social hierarchies and a command and control approach to be able to effectively build trust with local communities. This in turn will require the right set of skills to know how to engage with poor, often illiterate people on an equal footing, ensure that they are able to hear the voices of the most vulnerable and prevent elite domination of community engagement processes and institutions. Similarly, poor, illiterate people often lack the confidence and other skills needed to engage effectively with government officials and others more powerful than themselves. Thus they will need different types of capacity development to be able to take responsibility for coastal forest management, including amongst other things, the ability to patrol forests, enforce rules to protect these, negotiate with different types of stakeholders, resolve conflicts and implement mechanisms that ensure equitable benefit-sharing.
166. Targeted capacity development programmes will be developed for FRPG members and CMC members to overcome existing gaps in capacity for effective co-management and benefit- sharing. Awareness generation and training programmes will be designed and delivered with technical support from USAID. Opportunities for peer-to-peer exchange and learning will also be promoted, for example, through exchange visits to former or existing USAID target sites.
167. Similarly, LDCF resources will be used to design an awareness campaign to rollout the benefit-sharing agreement demonstration that will be carried out under Output 2.2. Coastal communities, which have not seen such a benefit-sharing agreement earlier, will need to be sufficiently made aware to take advantage of such an opportunity. The materials and know-how amassed through the USAID’s Nishorgo, MACH, IPAC and CREL initiatives will be fully leveraged for this purpose.
Indicative Activities
• Conduct capacity needs assessment of FRPGs and CMCs. • Develop and implement targeted awareness generation and training programmes for FRPGs and CMCs relevant to local coastal forest context including components on adaptive role of coastal forests, co-management and forest-benefit-sharing principles and mechanisms.
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• Facilitate peer-to-peer exchange and learning between project FRPGs and CMCs and beneficiaries and other key stakeholders from USAID project sites where co-management and benefit-sharing have been successfully demonstrated. • In consultation with USAID, design and produce awareness materials on a coastal forest benefit-sharing agreement
OUTCOME 3 Communal livelihood assets in afforestation and reforestation sites are protected from extreme climate events through effective early warning and preparedness planning
Co-financing amount for Outcome 3 UNDP/CDMP: $ 2,000,000 Total co-financing: $ 2,000,000
LDCF project grant requested: $ 1,500,000
Baseline: 168. While mangrove greenbelts are a vitally important adaptation measure for coastal areas, there will always remain a need for complementary measures to further protect human lives and livelihoods assets in the face of extreme climate events. The Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) is one such major undertaking of the GoB that was started after a devastating cyclone in 1970. CPP aims to minimize human and material losses from cyclones. Over the last 43 years of its operation, CPP has established a system that includes a network of nearly 50,000 volunteers equipped with disaster warning/response gears and communication equipment in 37 coastal upazilas (in 12 districts). These networks help to further disseminate cyclone warnings issued by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department and are of critical importance in more remote areas, where people may not be easily reached through traditional means of issuing cyclone warnings such as the media.
169. Since 2006, the UNDP-supported Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) has also been working to promote a shift from disaster relief and response planning to a disaster prevention and risk reduction approach. CDMP began laying the foundations for institutionalizing this new, prevention-oriented paradigm for disaster management during its first phase (2003-09) by pilot testing potential approaches and frameworks and by working closely with the programme’s host agency, MoDMR (formerly Ministry of Food & Disaster Management). CDMP is continuing this work in its second phase (2010-2014), which is currently under implementation. To date, CDMP has been especially successful in strengthening institutional early warning capacity. As a result of CDMP support, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) now has the technical ability to increase the lead time for its forecasts from three to five days. Similarly, with CDMP-II support, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has acquired enhanced computing capability and high-speed internet facility. BMD’s Storm Surge Unit has also improved its technical capacity with CDMP support, resulting in faster download and analysis of satellite data in shorter period of time (down from 2 hours to 10 minutes).
170. Now, at the request of the GoB, CDMP is also helping to expand the CPP volunteer network to a further six upazilas that were not covered earlier by the CPP. While this will help to expand CPP’s already impressive geographical and human coverage, program volunteers in general suffer from chronic shortages of essential basic equipment87 for effective and rapid
87 In many parts of coastal areas, modern technology-based solutions such as a text-message based early warning
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 74 dissemination of early warning information as CDMP does not have the resources to fully cover this shortfall.88 Moreover, the existing CPP training methodology, which CDMP will also be using, is currently offered on a one-off basis at the time of mobilizing volunteers and is centred on early response, such as first aid training and search and rescue, rather than institutionalizing disaster risk reduction principles. Similarly, CPP training currently does not provide conceptual or practical links between disaster risk reduction and the government’s large-scale afforestation/reforestation programmes, although there is considerable overlap in the objectives of both programmes. In other words, there is currently a significant lost opportunity in terms of using the CPP initiative as an additional vehicle to also promote recognition of the role that coastal mangrove forests play in increasing local adaptive capacity and thereby strengthen community-based stewardship of such resources.
171. Apart from early warning systems, there are a number of other measures that are necessary to effectively protect human lives and livelihoods assets during extreme weather events such as additional coastal defences, adequate and accessible evacuation shelters that can accommodate both people and livestock, access to safe drinking water and effective drainage. Considerable efforts have been made to implement a range of such measures by GoB as well as NGOs, often with donor assistance. Earthen coastal embankments constitute one of the major and long-standing investments by GoB to protect coastal populations and their livelihood assets although their effectiveness varies due to shortcomings in their planning and budget (Section 1.5.4). SPCR is currently investing USD 25 million and additional proposed USD 300 million (in soft loans), through one of its three investment programmes, in strengthening embankments in 16 Upazilas, of which two falls under the target Upazila of this project. Historically, these were designed with a focus on preventing storm-induced flooding and tidal bores and thus their design has not taken into account the need for adequate drainage to prevent flooding and subsequent water-logging on the inside of the embankment. The latter has become a serious problem in some areas and is one of the most serious threats to livelihoods and livelihood assets in certain localities after extreme climate events. There has been growing recognition of the problem of localized flooding on the landward side of the embankment and as a result, efforts to improve drainage on the inside of embankments are being carried out in some problem areas, for example through excavation of silted irrigation canals or by making provisions for drainage when constructing new embankments. For example, the LDCF-supported CBACC project is working with BWDB to construct 13 km of new embankment with proper irrigation and drainage facilities to protect 6,000 households in Char Kukri Mukri, an island that experiences frequent flooding and waterlogging. With additional funding from the Dutch Government, CBACC is supporting drainage facilities along the entire length of the 13 km new embankment at a total cost of US$290,000, including operation and maintenance for 5 years or at a cost of approximately US$22,000/km. CBACC is also supporting the construction of 6 km of the new embankment and providing irrigation facilities along the entire embankment at additional cost, again with financial support from the Dutch Government. However, such interventions to improve drainage on the landward side of the coastal embankment in problem areas are still relatively rare.
system, which does exist in Bangladesh, do not work as mobile network coverage is often unavailable, and thus, the most viable option of early warning dissemination in these areas continues to be conventional radio/hand siren-based dissemination. During the project preparatory phase, the possibility of the use of a text message-based solution for early warning was explored as indicated in the PIF. However, for the reason cited above, it was concluded that it would be most cost-effective to strengthen the existing and long-standing CPP network. 88 It is estimated that about half of the existing volunteer groups do not have functioning gears and communication equipment such as bicycles, first aid tools, flags, hand sirens, rescue tools, torch and transistor radios.
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172. Particular strides have also been made by GoB in the provision of clean drinking water across the country. However, the problem of access to safe drinking water during floods remains widespread, which, combined with poor sanitation and inadequate drainage, serves to exacerbate mortality rates at such times, particularly among the most vulnerable such as children, the sick and the elderly. Thus, while mangrove forests may act as the first line of defence in preventing human and material losses, residual impacts from both extreme events and smaller scale, localized floods in particular, can have a major impact on local livelihoods and wellbeing through the loss and destruction of valuable assets. For example, communal water infrastructure in coastal areas such as open-wells with hand pumps are generally very basic, lacking concrete lining or a raised platform, which make them extremely susceptible to becoming both inaccessible and contaminated even during small-scale localized floods. Although there have been numerous initiatives by NGOs and Government to flood-proof water supplies by raising village wells and handpumps, this has not been done systematically across the coast and given the scale of the problem and the size of the coastal population, many villages still lack access to safe drinking water during times of flood. SPCR, through another investment project, is also investing approximately USD 90 million in climate resilient water supply, sanitation, drainage and flood protection infrastructure in the same 16 Upazilas. As discussed in Section 2.3.6., their primary target areas are inside coastal embankments.
173. Similarly, numerous cyclone shelters have been and continue to be constructed across the most vulnerable parts of Bangladesh. However, these are expensive to build and still do not cover the entire population leaving significant numbers of people and their livestock with nowhere to go during extreme weather events or localized floods, particularly in more remote or hard-to- reach areas along the coast. According to MoDMR, as of early 2012, the country had only some 3,000 cyclone shelters in 2012, when it actually needed 5,000.89 Based on projections of population growth, it is estimated that some 7,000 shelters will be needed by 2025.90 Given that the first priority is to save human lives, less importance has been given to ensuring adequate evacuation sites for livestock, although these are vital livelihood assets for many coastal people - so much so that many would rather risk their lives than move to an evacuation shelter if it means abandoning their livestock.91 During Cyclone Sidr in 2007, and estimated one million livestock were lost. Such assets often represent an insurance for low-income household, something they can sell in times of crisis or when more capital is needed to finance a particular investment. Lack of adequate livestock shelters also renders women particularly vulnerable as they generally take responsibility for ensuring the safety of livestock. Despite the critical importance of protecting livestock assets, very few existing cyclone shelters have any provision for accommodating livestock as, understandably, GoB’s priority continues to be on saving human lives first. Nonetheless, a small number of cyclone shelters are now being built with a separate floor for livestock and will be ready by 2014, although demand will still continue to outstrip supply. A potential solution that has been trialled by various NGOs and others with donor assistance, including CDMP, is the construction of indigenous ‘killas’. These are essentially raised earthen platforms, mounds or hillocks, or a form of low-cost shelter that allows people to safeguard their livestock during weather-related emergencies. Traditionally, killas were used as evacuation sites for cattle and even humans during tidal bores. Typically, killas have a base of 15-30m in width and are some 10-15m in height. The sea- or river-facing side of killas have a vertical wall to minimize the impact of tidal bore. There have been attempts to construct these next to cyclone
89 http://www.unisdr.org/archive/26009 Communication by Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, of the then Minister of Food and Disaster Management to the UN's Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in March 2012 as reported by UNISDR. 90 http://www.irinnews.org/report/96555/bangladesh-cyclone-shelters-for-livestock-too 91 http://www.irinnews.org/report/96555/bangladesh-cyclone-shelters-for-livestock-too
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 76 shelters to further minimize risks to people by having to only travel to one place during an extreme weather event. There has also been some experimentation with design to enhance to the functionality of these killas. For example, CDMP has constructed three killas, including one in Shahbajpur village of Char Kukri Mukri Union, which has included combining pond creation for fish culture with killa construction.
174. In conclusion, despite the major efforts of GoB, numerous donors, international and national NGOs, there are still some critical gaps in current disaster preparedness planning in the coastal zone as outlined above. These pose serious risks to the security of local livelihood assets. Unless these gaps are effectively addressed, the resilience gains that are obtained from Outcomes 1 and 2 are likely to be significantly undermined.
Adaptation alternative:
175. LDCF funds will be used to contribute to GoB’s efforts in securing livelihood assets in the 7 upazilas targeted by the project through two main strategies and inter-related sets of activities that complement and further strengthen the activities undertaken under Outcomes 1 and 2. First, the Implementing Partner will develop, with financial assistance from LDCF, the capacity and the long-term sustainability of CPP volunteer networks in the 7 target upazilas both by filling gaps in communication equipment and other gear needed for an effective early warning response but also equally importantly by supplementing the existing GoB/CDMP CPP training programme with an additional module on climate change, the adaptive benefits of coastal afforestation, and anticipatory disaster risk management. The new training module developed with LDCF support will amongst other things cover the adaptive benefits of maintaining and strengthening coastal mangrove forests thereby making the link between forests and climate and disaster risk reduction more explicit. Moreover project beneficiaries will also be encouraged through the Forest Resource Management Groups, formed under Output 2.1, to become part of the CPP volunteer network and participate in these trainings and to thus play a more active role in protecting their lives and livelihood assets as well as in promoting improved stewardship of coastal forests. To facilitate this process, beneficiary selection criteria for the LDCF project (Annex 4) will be adapted to include CPP selection criteria. By doing so, the project will ensure that all communities engaging in project-related livelihood diversification actions are more systematically connected to the CPP early warning system.
176. Additionally, the Co-Management Committees (CMCs) formed under Output 2.1 (building on CBACC and USAID’s CREL) will be formally linked with the upazila-level Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) and thus the CPP in each upazila. This will include representation of CMCs on the DMCs. Linking these two institutions will serve to further strengthen synergies between different components of the LDCF-project and increase the project’s ability to demonstrate integrated solutions for strengthening coastal adaptive capacity. LDCF-funds will also be used to leverage CPP’s vast network, which currently includes nearly 50,000 volunteers working in 12 coastal districts, to promote greater awareness about the relationship between better management of coastal forests and reduced disaster risks as well as any other potential benefits that are developed under Outcome 2.
177. In addition to strengthening and expanding the scope of the current CPP early warning system, LDCF-funds will also be used to provide three concrete sets of measures to address the gaps outlined above and increase the resilience of local livelihoods to extreme climate events in seven target upazilas. This will include interventions to climate-proof a selected number of village wells and handpumps (through concrete-lining or raising the platform), provide killas, in strategic locations near existing cyclone shelters, and improve drainage across the embankment in areas
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 77 that are particularly prone to localized flooding within the 7 target upazilas. It is expected that this will cover at least 25 km of embankment in target upazilas. This will not only address the problem of localized flooding, but also strengthen the overall effectiveness of the coastal embankment, which remain a vital second line of defense against extreme weather events.
178. Together, these LDCF-supported interventions on strengthening the CPP volunteers capacity and protecting key livelihood assets will complement and strengthen on-going baseline interventions on disaster preparedness planning as well as securing LDCF-investments made under Outcomes 1 and 2, not only by securing vital livelihood assets such as freshwater, livestock and irrigation channels, but also by generating a range of health benefits from reducing the risk of water contamination and stagnation.
Output 3.1 Strengthened CPP network capacity for effective early warning communications for extreme climate events in coastal afforestation sites
179. Complementary to the adaptive investments facilitated under Outcome 1, LDCF resources will be used under this Output to strengthen the capacity of the existing CPP volunteer network and ensure regular dissemination of early warning information in project target sites. To this end, CDMP and the proposed project will work in close partnership and align baseline activities and additional support required to achieve greater improvement in the capacity of the CPP volunteer network.
180. Out of the seven coastal Upazilas in which this LDCF project is proposing to work, CPP volunteer networks exist in six Upazilas with the total number of volunteers amounting to over 10,000 (see Table 6 below).
Table 6: Proposed or actual numbers of volunteers in the target Upazilas of the new LDCF- supported project
LDCF2 Target CPP network No of volunteers Upazilas Male Female Total Hatiya YES 1440 720 2160 Monpura YES 430 215 645 Tazumuddin YES 730 365 1095 Char Fasson YES 1500 750 2250 Galachipa YES 1880 940 2820 Patharghata YES 930 465 1395 Rangabali NO N/A N/A N/A
181. During the consultation with the UNDP-supported CDMP, it was recognized that the current training modality, in which training is provided only at the outset of volunteer mobilization, is a major risk to the sustainability and effectiveness of the CPP networks. One of the fundamental premises for building disaster preparedness is the availability of repeated trainings and awareness raising at regular intervals; without these, the full potential of the extensive network of CPP volunteers will remain underutilized. For this reason, the CDMP has agreed to provide follow- up refresher trainings and mockdrills in the six LDCF-targeted upazilas as a baseline activity. LDCF resources will be invested in designing and integrating an additional training component on climate change, the adaptive benefits of coastal afforestation, and anticipatory disaster risk
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 78 management into the existing CPP/CDMP training programme. In addition, LDCF funding will deliver basic communication equipment and gears to ensure that critical early warning information is delivered to the most remote pockets of coastal areas.
182. The standard training envisaged in CPP/CDMP, as a baseline development activity, is as follows: 1. Training of Trainers (ToT) of CPP officers 2. Volunteers training 3. Basic training 4. First aid training 5. Search and rescue training 6. Leadership training 7. Wireless operating and maintenance training
183. During the project implementation, a series of refresher trainings mainly targeting volunteer leaders (i.e. through ToT workshops) will be provided by CDMP (as a baseline activity). Using this as a delivery vehicle, additional components focusing on climate change adaptation, as presented above will be delivered. Application of the standard training modules by CDMP (with the CC module financed by LDCF) in Rangabali Upazila where the CPP does not currently operate is under discussion.
184. It is important to note that in stakeholder consultations during the design phase of this LDCF proposal, it was recognized that a more explicit link is needed between the Forest Resource Protection Groups (FRPGs) that will be established under Outcome 2 and CPP volunteers as mutually reinforcing benefits can easily be expected through such linking, most importantly the heightened awareness about the need to protect coastal greenbelts to reduce potential impacts from natural disasters. Hence, selected members of FRPGs, especially women, will be encouraged to join the CPP volunteers. To facilitate this, during the project inception phase, the beneficiary selection criteria developed by AF (for livelihood support activities in CRPAR project, which the proposed LDCF project will also use) and the criteria for CPP membership will be reviewed and consolidated.
185. Lastly, the CPP has a series of public awareness activities, which include: 1) mock cyclone drills and demonstrations; 2) posters/leaflets/folk songs; 3) documentary preparation; and 4) preparation of booklets on CPP activities. These have proved very effective in raising awareness about the Programme and its activities. These existing materials will be used as an important baseline and LDCF resources will strengthen the baseline by including additional elements of climate resilience in coastal areas. Given the vast network of the CPP, currently covering 37 coastal upazilas in 12 districts with nearly 50,000 volunteers, successful integration of climate change awareness into the CPP awareness raising activities in seven LDCF-target upazilas, especially promoted awareness about the nexus between better management of coastal forests and reduced disaster risks, will see a tremendous opportunity for greater geographical coverage.
Indicative Activities Review the beneficiary selection criteria, jointly with CRPAR project/AF and CDMP, and finalize the combined criteria for Forest Resource Group and CPP volunteer membership Design the climate change adaptation and coastal forest components of awareness raising activities to be integrated into the CPP, including the face-to-face training and awareness materials Finalize an agreement with CDMP-II on the specific locations and target groups of the training programs
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Finalize an agreement with CDMP-II and MoDMR about the expansion plan into Rangabali upazila. Identify and procure gears and communication equipment Carry out a quantitative assessment during mock drills to obtain the level of outreach of early warning information
Output 3.2 Communal livelihood assets in new afforestation and reforestation sites are protected from extreme climate events through dedicated disaster preparedness and risk reduction measures
186. LDCF resources will be invested in community-based interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of climate-induced extreme events in the project sites through measures designed to protect key livelihoods assets. Consistent with the principle that is maintained throughout the other Outcomes, the interventions under this Output will be carried out in close vicinity to afforestation/reforestation sites and resilient livelihood support intervention sites. Three sets of interventions will be supported under this output: a) climate-proofing critical communal water sources; b) construction of ‘killas’ or low-cost livestock shelters in strategic locations near cyclone shelters where these are currently do not exist; and c) improving drainage in areas prone to flooding and water logging on the landward side of the coastal embankment.
187. Typically, climate-proofing communal freshwater supply will involves elevating village wells and hand pumps and if possible providing a concrete lining to minimize contamination risks and render water points more accessible during floods. Typically such platforms are designed to be at least two feet above the height of the highest recorded flood level in a given area. In some instances platforms may be up to 4-6 feet above ground level.
188. Construction of killas will follow the design used by CDMP-II (Annex 7) in the first instance, although opportunities for further modifying and adapting to suit local needs or enhance sustainability will also be explored. In addition to proximity to existing functional cyclone shelters, killas will be constructed in target upazilas where need is greatest – i.e. where there are large numbers of livestock, although safeguards will also be in place to ensure that livestock owners are among the poor and vulnerable to avoid elite capture of this particular intervention.
189. Drainage improvement will be conducted along some 25 km of embankment in selected target Upazilas that have particular problems with localized flooding on the landward side of the embankment. This will involve excavation of irrigation channels and construction of drainage channels so that water can drain out of the embanked area more easily. In planning this particular aspect of work, the project will build on the practical experience of CBACC and others who have been supporting comparable work along the embankment, notably the Dutch Government and the World Bank, who are both investing in improving irrigation and drainage on the landward side of the embankment. Local communities will be engaged for the actual work and thus benefit from an LDCF-financed cash-for-work opportunity.
Indicative Activities
• Confirm sites identified during preparatory phase for climate-proofing freshwater wells and handpump, new killas and improved drainage are strategic and practical in terms of numbers of vulnerable people who will benefit, land availability and distance from cyclone shelter in the case of killas, and severity of localized flooding in the case of drainage improvement.
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• Climate-proof 150 freshwater wells and handpumps (concrete-lining and/or raising the platform) in at least four upazilas where there is particularly high need for this including Golachipa, Patharghata and Rangabali. • Construct 10 killas in two upazilas close to cyclone shelters • Improve drainage along 25 km of the embankment in total, distributed between selected areas prone to localized flooding in Monpura upazila
5. Key indicators, risks and assumptions
Indicators
190. The main indicators of project success at the Objective and Outcome level are summarized in the Project Results Framework in Section 3, along with indicator baselines, targets, means of verification, risks and assumptions. These have been derived from UNDP’s “Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Climate Change Adaptation”, and are aligned also with the LDCF Adaptation Monitoring and Assessment Tool (AMAT).
191. At the level of the Project Objective, which is to “Reduce vulnerability of communities to the adverse impacts of climate change through participative design, community-based management and diversification of afforestation and reforestation programmes”, the indicators are as follows:
• Differential survival rate of new coastal mangrove plantations with and without associated integrated livelihood diversification support • % of community members (gender disaggregated) who feel ‘ownership’ of coastal mangrove forest resources measured through change in score obtained through simplified adaptation of Knowledge, Attitude & Practices (KAP) survey method
192. At the level of the three Project Outcomes, the indicators are as follows:
Outcome 1: Vulnerability of communities in new afforestation and reforestation sites reduced through diversified livelihood options and more effective greenbelts
Indicators: % of targeted households that have adopted resilient livelihoods under existing and projected climate change [AMAT 1.3.1.1]
Outcome 2: Strengthened community involvement in, and ownership of, forestry-based adaptation and climate risk reduction programmes
Indicators: Regulatory reform and fiscal incentive structures introduced that incorporate climate change risk management [AMAT 1.1.1.3]
Number of Forest Resource Management Group members (gender- disaggregated) who gain access to coastal forest resources underpinned by a formal benefit-sharing agreement
Outcome 3: Communal livelihood assets in afforestation and reforestation sites are protected from extreme climate events through effective early warning and
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preparedness planning
Indicators: The number of CPP volunteers trained for climate risks, disaster preparedness, and the benefits of coastal forests for climate risk mitigation
The number and types of communal livelihood assets safeguarded from the potential impacts of extreme and localized climate events
Risks 193. In line with UNDP project risk management practices a Risk Log has been prepared that provides information on project risks and proposed mitigation measures (see Annex 8).
6. Cost-effectiveness
194. Several alternative options for achieving the intended Project Objective and Outcomes were considered before finalizing the proposed Project Strategy. These included the following:
a) Relocation was considered and immediately ruled out given Bangladesh’s high coastal population density and acute land shortages. b) Hard infrastructure to protect lives and livelihoods such as coastal embankments. This option was deemed less cost effective for a number of reasons. As described earlier under Outcome 3 (Section 2.4) building 1 km of embankment with proper drainage facilities costs approximately $230,000/km. In other words, building protective coastal embankment infrastructure in seven upazilas in four districts would cost many times more than the entire budget for this project. Indeed, at this cost, the project budget would only stretch to cover 24 km of new embankment. Furthermore, as seen earlier, embankments alone are unlikely to provide sufficient protection to vulnerable communities in coastal Bangladesh due to the country’s highly dynamic coastlines that result in land accretion on the seaward side of embankments, prompting many to move to these highly exposed areas due to acute land shortage and other socioeconomic pressures. c) The third alternative that was considered was to continue with the status quo, i.e rely on coastal greenbelts and existing embankments for protection against extreme climate events. This option offers a combination of both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’, or rather natural, infrastructure that enables the GoB to protect communities outside embankments with greater flexibility. However, the last 50 years of the GoB's experience in extensive afforestation and reforestation programs have amply demonstrated the deep-rooted difficulties of relying solely on this approach. Most importantly, this approach fails to sufficiently address the many underlying causes of vulnerability among coastal communities and the drivers of coastal deforestation. Unless such drivers are addressed as an integral element of ongoing afforestation/reforestation programmes, the natural coastal greenbelt will continue to lose its integrity and effectiveness as a natural protective buffer.
195. After considering these alternatives to achieve the same objective, it was concluded that the approach proposed in this proposal is most cost-effective as it leverages major on-going baseline investments on coastal afforestation, community participation in natural resource management and community-based early warning systems to deliver a more integrated, effective and sustainable solution to coastal adaptation in Bangladesh. The project thus involves a carefully planned mix of ‘soft’ and low-cost infrastructural solutions to managing climate risks that are complementary to each other and to the existing baseline. ‘Soft’ interventions include targeted capacity development to increase local livelihood resilience and stewardship of local forests;
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 82 building new synergies between key actors in the coastal zone to promote more strategic and efficient use of resources, and changing the local incentive structure that currently contributes to coastal forest degradation. Livelihood diversification, low-cost infrastructural investments and expanded early warning systems for extreme weather events, which will strengthen local resilience, have each been explicitly linked to improved stewardship of local coastal forests, which will further increase local adaptive capacity.
196. A major difference between the proposed approach and alternative approaches is that the project’s strong emphasis on capacity development and empowerment of vulnerable communities through multiple strategies that will be far more effective in terms of increasing overall adaptive capacity in the long run rather than relying solely on hard or soft infrastructural solutions. Additionally, the close relationship with the LDCF-funded CBACC and the project’s strategic partnerships with CRPAR project, USAID and CDMP is already generating numerous synergies that are likely to continue through the course of project implementation and contribute further to the cost-effectiveness of the proposed project approach. For example, the natural infrastructure established by CBACC, i.e. the new areas of afforestation and the diversified plantations, as well as the relationship established with BFRI (and other key partners) will directly benefit activities undertaken in this project under Outputs 1.2 and 2.2 in particular and reduce the time spent in searching for appropriate sites and building new relationships. Similarly, CDMP’s agreement to conduct follow-up trainings to CPP volunteers, not only enhances the baseline capacity of the volunteers (which tends to be weak with just one one-off training) but also presents an important delivery vehicle for project to link disaster preparedness with the coastal greenbelts more tangibly and explicitly under Output 3.1. These synergies are being realised because UNDP is supporting both projects and sees value in doing this. The project will also build on existing capacity development approaches and materials developed by USAID to deliver Output 2.3 in particular, while both CRPAR project and CDMP-II beneficiary selection criteria will form the basis for beneficiary selection in this project.
7. Sustainability
197. An important principle for ensuring sustainability of project results rests on the ownership of the project by the GoB. The fact that the GoB decided to use LDCF resources on a single priority in two consecutive projects, rather than spreading out limited resources thinly over many priorities, demonstrates the urgency of the issue as well as the commitment and ownership of the GoB.
198. Experience from CBACC indicates promising signs of ownership by the GoB and take-up for wider replication. For example, a salt-tolerant rice variety (BR47) was disseminated, as part of a CBACC’s resilient livelihood pilot, in Naltona Union Parishad in Barguna district. Convinced by the successful results from the pilot, the district Department of Agriculture Extension extended its support, with the public fund, to more than 1,000 ha of agricultural land, from the 38 ha that was piloted through CBACC.
199. Such voluntary take-up was greatly facilitated by CBACC’s continuous efforts in using publicity materials for awareness raising, sharing of lessons and know-hows. It has produced to date 11 training manuals, a number of brochures and posters, newspaper and peer-reviewed articles and documentary films92. The MoEF is acutely aware that such efforts in raising publicity
92 See UNDP ALM (http://www.undp-alm.org/projects/ldcf-cba-bangladesh) and project website (http://www.cbacc- coastalaffor.org.bd/) for a list of such materials.
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 83 of the project domestically and internationally are a prerequisite for enhancing the ownership and sustainability of results, and will continue in the proposed LDCF project.
200. The project’s strategic alignment with the CRPAR afforestation/reforestation project and the USAID CREL programme offer an important channel through which experience from the project will be shared in greater geographical coverage. In addition to the dissemination of lessons, the MoEF has designed the project with the following considerations to enhance institutional, financial, social and environmental sustainability of the LDCF investment as well as promoting wider replication and scale-up of effective strategies demonstrated with LDCF support.
Institutional Sustainability
201. Capacity building of government and non-government institution is an integral element of the proposed project and critical for sustainability. It envisages enhancing the capacity of, inter alia, two institutions. First, MoEF and BFD as the Implementing Partner and a Responsible Party for Outcome 1, respectively, will be exposed to a new regime of coastal mangrove afforestation/reforestation. Implementation of Outcome 1 will provide an opportunity for sub- national level forest officers to observe, first hand, the impact of diversifying livelihood options in coastal areas. Based on the experience from the CBACC project, the economic impacts from livelihood diversification strategy employed in the project are likely to manifest as early as Year 1. This will be complemented by targeted training, under Output 2.3, for enhancing understanding about forest benefits and benefit-sharing agreement. Along with the work under Output 2.1 which facilitates more dialogue among coastal communities and forest officers, among other government agencies, this in essence means a fundamental shift in the way in which these officers will work with coastal communities, from a source of labour at the time of plantation to a partner that continues throughout the management of forest resources. Second institutions whose capacities will be enhanced are community-based organizations such as Forest Resource Management Group, Co-Management Committees and CPP volunteers. Through the work of CBACC and USAID’s initiatives, these CBOs have been proven effective in utilizing the network of the poor and vulnerable for improved natural resource management while at the same time empowering them. Capacity building, awareness raising and legally recognizing their roles and responsibility, all of which will be supported in this project, are a prerequisite for ensuring that these groups will be sustained beyond the timeframe of the project.
Financial Sustainability
202. Financial sustainability is one of the key principles that underlies the design of this project. The business-as-usual mangrove afforestation/reforestation approach adopted by the GoB in the last 50 years has demonstrated the constant repetition of reforestation and forest loss followed by yet another reforestation, and significant amount of public resources have been devoted to this activity. This repetition is primarily due to the fundamental oversight in the past afforestation/reforestation programmes to address critical drivers of mangrove forest loss, which include lack of alternative livelihood options for poor and vulnerable coastal communities and predominant focus on monoculture-driven afforestation/reforestation. Unless these drivers are addressed while plantation efforts are carried out, it is highly likely that the GoB continues to incur significant amount of resources on its difficult quest to establish a greenbelt structure in coastal areas. Activities and some policy changes envisaged through the implementation of this project will alter and improve the financial sustainability of such efforts. In particular, livelihood diversification support, complemented by a change in policy that governs the ways of benefit sharing from mangrove forests, will ultimately transform local communities from a threat to a steward of mangrove forests. Furthermore, linking of forest resource management CSOs with
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 84 disaster management committees, supplemented by a series of trainings and awareness-raising workshops, will contribute to instilling the perception among communities that mangrove forests act as a critical natural defence, which will also facilitate the transformation. The three interrelated components of this project, when implemented in a complementary manner, will nurture a conducive environment for a better community management and greater longevity of mangrove resources.
Social Sustainability
203. Social sustainability will be achieved as a result of the project’s emphasis on empowerment of the poorest and the most vulnerable, especially women, living in coastal areas, and recognition of these groups as a partner for better management of mangrove forests for enhanced climate resilience. To date, these groups have generally been engaged only as a one- off labour force and perceived as a threat for coastal greenbelts because of their encroachment into mangrove forests. This is a reflection of the disadvantaged societal position that they are in: as discussed earlier, their encroachment to mangrove forests is often driven by powerful local elites or by their dire needs to make their living. Their social position also renders them more vulnerable than any other groups in society to natural disasters. Increasing risks of natural disasters due to climate change reinforces the existing pattern of inequality in coastal areas and increases the potential for social instability. As discussed above, the proposed project, through interlinked activities on livelihood diversification strategies, establishing and strengthening of CBOs, and policy change to promote benefit-sharing, will all contribute to empowerment of these disadvantaged groups, which is a necessary condition for attaining social sustainability of project results.
Environmental Sustainability
204. By enhancing the natural resilience and long-term sustainability of the coastal greenbelt through improved management, diversification and more sustainable use, the project will contribute greatly to increasing local environmental sustainability. More heterogenous forests are generally ecologically more stable, have greater natural resilience and also greater potential to generate a wider range and volume of ecosystem services.
8. Replicability
205. Strategies for further scale up and replication of successful project interventions to increase local adaptive capacity are embedded within the project design and the strategic partnerships that have been established to support and complement the LDCF project. First, the project will ensure that a practical and useful M&E system is in place to ensure that project strategies and results are systematically recorded and evaluated for lessons learning and wider sharing of successful strategies to promote their uptake and replication. Additionally, systematic monitoring of performance, cost-effectiveness and other management parameters will also provide useful inputs for adapting project approaches as well as for future replication.
206. Second, coastal greenbelts are integral to GoB’s adaptation strategy and forestry policy for the coastal zone and there is long-term commitment by GoB, including MoL and MoEF to continue afforesting and reforesting newly accreted lands. The close involvement of government agencies and other organizations increases the potential for future incorporation of successful project approaches into the mainstream work of these sectors as well as promoting greater intersectoral cooperation on adaptation initiatives in the coastal zone.
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207. Finally, the project’s close alignment with CRPAR Project, USAID and CDMP-II, ensures further opportunities for scale-up and replication through the greater geographic reach of these partners. For example, the AF will be conducting alternative income generation activities under the CRPAR project in different sites from the LDCF project, offering opportunities for replication of successful project strategies in their sites. CDMP-II’s network of some 50,000 community volunteers also offers enormous potential for disseminating project results and promoting scale up and replication.
9. Stakeholder involvement plan
208. See Annex 3.
10. Compliance with UNDP and GEF environmental and social safeguards
209. The LDCF-financed project makes a conscious effort in identifying and managing environmental and social risks that could be associated with the proposed project. In this regard, the UNDP Environmental and Social Screening Procedure, which is aligned with the Framework for Advancing Environmental and Social Sustainability in the UN System and with the UNDAF Guideline, was carried out in partnership with the project proponent – the Ministry of Environment and Forest. The result of the Procedure is included in Annex 12.
210. The screening process has identified, in particular, the following potential social and environmental risks and impacts:
Social risks and impacts
211. Output 2.1 envisages establishing Forest Resource Management Groups at village/community level and Co-Management Committees at the Upazila level. The former offers an avenue for poor and vulnerable community members to express their needs in terms of coastal forest resource use and provides a platform to form a group that will be responsible for management of such resources. The latter, on the other hand, will provide a formal platform to representatives from these communities to engage in dialogue with sub-national government departments as an equal partner for management of coastal forest resources. It is envisaged that both FRPGs and CMCs will be formally recognized by the GoB through a Government Order. The aim is, based on tested experience from the CBACC project and USAID’s initiatives (Nishorgo, MACH, IPAC and CREL) to provide sufficient bargaining power and formal recognition to the communities that are currently practically voiceless in the negotiation and planning of coastal forest resource use. Complementary to this, Output 2.2 will formalize an agreement that permit a control use and extraction of coastal forest resources for FRPG members. The absence of such an agreement in coastal Bangladesh is one of the reasons of uncontrolled exploitation and resultant deforestation of coastal mangrove forests. If successful, these measures will lead to significant empowerment of these community members who are currently at the bottom segment of society. However, a risk that needs to be carefully monitored is the change in social dynamics in relation to local elites in the area. As described in the project proposal, these elites are one of the key players that drive poor families into speculative land-grabbing and they could potentially
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 86 perceive that their vested interests being eroded by the project activity that promotes community participation in dialogues of coastal forest resource use.
212. The project will also be implemented in areas where settlements into newly accreted lands take place continuously reflecting the unique environmental conditions in this area. Settlements into these areas are also supported by GoB. Although the project activities do not directly invoke resettlements, the very objective of the project – reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities through strengthening coastal greenbelts and alternative livelihood strategies – may indirectly reinforce the existing trends of migration into coastal areas. Although the experience from CBACC has been that no visible negative social impacts attributable to the project has been observed, a sense of vigilance among community-based project staff and local government officers need to be maintained.
213. Interventions under Output 1.1 entail delivery of adaptive livelihood strategies in areas adjacent to new afforestation/reforestation areas. Some of the investments involve distribution of small land for the landless and other marginalized groups as part of the tested FFF model. This could potentially introduce a competition over finite amount of lands relative to the demand. And if lower bargaining power of the most vulnerable results in suboptimal allocation of adaptive livelihood options to them, it could potentially leads to lower than expected impacts in terms of vulnerability reduction. However, to prevent this, the process of identification of potential beneficiaries is bound by a pre-set list of beneficiary selection criteria, which place a considerable emphasis on the poorest, women, women-headed households and other disadvantaged groups, and selection is carried out in a participatory manner. Based on the experience from CBACC, no disputes or competitions have been reported to date. Also it is important to note that there will not be forced relocation of population associated with the provision of lands. This is because all lands to be used in the project are newly accreted lands which by law belong to either the Ministry of Land or Forest Department (depending on the years after stabilization of the land).
Environmental risks and impacts
214. Outputs 1.1, 1.2, 2.2 and 3.2 will involve alteration in physical environment in the form of construction/introduction of diversified livelihood assets or strategies in coastal areas (Output 1.1), introduction of additional mangrove species to mangrove forests that are at least 5 years of age (Output 1.2), controlled use of coastal forest resources (Output 2.2) and construction/rehabilitation of built structures for the purpose of protecting livelihood assets (Output 3.2). Output 1.1 will also involve an activity where aquaculture (as part of the FFF model) will be implemented. Wastes from aquaculture production can potentially cause negative environmental impacts locally and the amount of wastes produced needs to be observed continuously. However, it is important to note that none of the species (both mangrove species and fish/livestock) introduced in the project will be alien species, and following the practice in CBACC, no pesticide or herbicide will be used.
215. It is important to note that although these activities will involve alteration of physical environments in coastal areas in Bangladesh, negative environmental impacts are expected to be limited, if any, for the following reasons. First, large part of the areas that Output 1.1 focuses on are newly accreted, otherwise-barren lands that are unsuitable for conventional agricultural production or for plantation of any trees other than two pioneer species of mangrove. Second, when new mangrove species are introduced in more stable lands where mature plantations exist, these species are all endemic in Bangladesh and thus pose no risks of invasive alien species. Third, controlled/managed access to forest resources that is encouraged under Output 2.2 is limited to NTFP collection and will not involve felling of trees and the objective of Output 2.2 is precisely to reduce negative environmental impacts on coastal forest resources that currently
Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Page 87 exist from uncontrolled exploitation. Lastly, investments envisaged under Output 3.2 are largely small-scale such as excavation of existing, silted irrigation canal, provisions for drainage in embankments, and raising and concrete-lining of handpump platforms. Nonetheless, as described below, the project will engage a consultant to initiate a process of Environmental Clearance process, which is supported by the Environmental Conservation Rules 1997.
Proposed actions to remove and mitigate impacts
216. Potential social and environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the LDCF-financed project were reviewed carefully during the Local Project Appraisal Committee meeting, which had representatives from GoB and UNDP, and the following action points have been agreed.
217. Potential social impacts that may arise from the altered social dynamics, especially between the vulnerable/poor and local elites, will be closely monitored throughout the implementation of the project. The project proponent has agreed that some budget is earmarked and an assessment will be carried out in Year 3 of the project implementation to investigate whether any social issues have been observed in this regard and the extent to which the agreed beneficiary selection criteria have been adhered to. This assessment is expected to be conducted by a reputable NGO that has experience in this area. Raising awareness of project staff and stakeholders is also important. To this end, key project personnel such as project-funded Community Development Associates/Assistants who will be based in each upazila, will be informed and instructed during the inception meeting to monitor closely any frictions that may arise at local level. Similarly, local government officers will also be instructed to be on alert. This issue will be emphasized at the subnational level inception meeting in each District. Any issues will be reported in periodic meetings among the project management staff and the Government stakeholders both at the subnational and national level. Annual monitoring exercise as well as periodic field visits by MoEF officials and UNDP will be used to take stock of any issues, and if problems in fact arise, future actions will be discussed.
218. To address potential environmental impacts from the project, the project proponent also agreed that some budget is earmarked for initiating the GoB-compliant initial environmental screening process. To this end, a consultant will be hired in Year 1 of the project implementation to carry out a preliminary assessment to file an Environmental Clearance Certificate. This process will review all activities that potentially have negative environmental impacts and will result in recommendations for the IP to follow throughout the course of project implementation.
219. Moreover, for livelihood activities for which beneficiaries behaviours are critical in minimizing potential environmental impacts, such as the treatment of waste generated from aquaculture, issuance of code of conduct will be explored, and compliance monitored, during the project implementation. Finally, the project will also explore the opportunity to consult the Social and Environmental Management Framework of CRPARP which was developed in May 2013.
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III PROJECT RESULTS FRAMEWORK
This project will contribute to achieving the following UNDAF Outcome (2012-2016): Outcome 5.1: By 2016, populations vulnerable to climate change and natural disaster have become more resilient to adapt with the risk. Outcome 5.2: By 2016, vulnerable populations benefit from natural resource management and environmental governance and low emission green development UNDAF Outputs: Output 5.1.2: Community and local institutions have greater capacity on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation Output: 5.1.3: Communities, local and national governments have greater capacity to respond in emergencies Output 5.14: Communities, local and national authorities have better access to knowledge on climate change impact for better decision making Output 5.2.1: Communities and local and national governments are better able to conserve biodiversity and manage natural resources in a pro-poor and sustianble manner. Primary applicable Key Environment and Sustainable Development Key Result Area: 3. Promote climate change adaptation Applicable Strategic Objective from LDCF Results-Based Management Framework: CCA-1: Reduce vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change, including variability, at local, national, regional and global level Applicable GEF Expected Outcomes: Outcome 1.1: Mainstreamed adaptation in broader development frameworks at country level and in targeted vulnerable areas Outcome 1.3: Diversified and strengthened livelihoods and sources of income for vulnerable people in targeted areas Applicable GEF Outcome/Output Indicators (AMAT): 1.1.1.3. Regulatory reform and fiscal incentive structures introduced that incorporate climate change risk management 1.3.1.1. % of targeted households that have adopted resilient livelihoods under existing and projected climate change
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Indicator Baseline End of Project Targets Source of Risks and Assumptions verification Project Objective93 Differential survival There is no linking of The survival rate of Periodic monitoring Risks Reduce vulnerability of rate of new coastal coastal afforestation mangrove forests linked to PIR report94 Survival rate of new coastal mangrove /reforestation with livelihood support in CRPAR communities to the MTR95 plantations in CRPAR project adverse impacts of plantations with and livelihood support project afforestation sites is sites is negatively impacted TE96 climate change through without associated at least 15% higher than in by non-anthropogenic factors integrated afforestation sites without participative design, or other new threats not community-based livelihood linked livelihood support addressed in the project diversification management and diversification of support Economic shocks and/or, afforestation and environmental disasters reforestation % of community ‘Ownership’ will be 30% improvement in the Administration of further aggravate local programmes members (gender defined in the sense of ownership towards KAP survey poverty and vulnerability disaggregated) who process of adapting coastal mangrove resources MTR feel ‘ownership’ of KAP methodology for making it much more difficult TE coastal mangrove monitoring this or impossible to alter existing forest resources indicator. A gender- incentive structure that measured through disaggregated currently leads to coastal change in score baseline will be forest degradation and loss obtained through established during or to increase local simplified the inception phase ownership of coastal adaptation of of the project mangrove plantations Knowledge, Attitude & Practices Assumptions (KAP) survey Livelihood support in target method project sites combined with benefits from forests will be sufficient to alter underlying incentive structure that currently results in degradation and loss of coastal mangrove plantation
93 Objective (Atlas output) monitored quarterly ERBM and annually in APR/PIR 94 Annual UNDP-GEF Project Implementation Review (PIR) 95 Mid-Term Review (MTR) 96 End of project Terminal Evaluation (TE)
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Indicator Baseline End of Project Targets Source of Risks and Assumptions verification Outcome 197 % of targeted Currently, livelihood At least 70% of 10,500 PIR Report Risks Vulnerability of households that strategies are not target households living MTR Slow local uptake of new have adopted meaningfully adjacent to CRPAR coastal communities in new TE knowledge and skills results afforestation and resilient livelihoods integrated into afforestation / reforestation in slow rate of adoption of reforestation sites under existing and coastal afforestation / sites have adopted resilient resilient livelihoods projected climate reforestation livelihoods introduced in the reduced through diversified livelihood change [AMAT programs, reducing project Assumptions options and more 1.3.1.1] the resilience of both effective greenbelts livelihoods and Local elite capture of coastal forest livelihood diversification resources support and other related social conflicts are effectively addressed
Livelihood diversification strategies introduced by the project generate enough benefit for local communities to be prepared to take on greater responsibility for the stewardship of coastal mangrove plantations Outputs Supporting Outcome 1 1.1. Community-based adaptation and livelihood diversification measures are integrated with baseline afforestation and reforestation activities in 4 districts 1.2. Diversified trial plantations of up to 10 mangrove and non-mangrove varieties established in 4 districts to increase the adaptive capacity of greenbelt structures on accreted lands Outcome 2 Regulatory reform Currently there is no A formal government policy Existence of the Risks Strengthened and fiscal incentive regulatory on benefit sharing policy Delays to formally adopt a community involvement structures mechanism in place agreement pertaining to policy for benefit-sharing introduced that to provide sufficient coastal forest resources is in, and ownership of, result in limited time for forestry-based incorporate climate incentives, through in place demonstrating impacts change risk the security of future adaptation and climate risk reduction management stream of benefits, to Assumptions programmes [AMAT 1.1.1.3] protect coastal forest
resources Tangible economic benefits are generated from coastal
97 All outcomes monitored annually in the APR/PIR. It is highly recommended not to have more than 4 outcomes.
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Indicator Baseline End of Project Targets Source of Risks and Assumptions verification Number of Forest Currently, benefit- By the end of the project, at Official record forests as a result of forest Resources sharing agreement least 2,500 FRPG members pertaining to the diversification and co- Protection Group pertaining to coastal (or 50% of all FRPG access of forest management, which are a (FRPG) members forest resources members) will have resources sufficient incentive to (gender- does not exists and obtained access to coastal improve local stewardship of disaggregated) who hence any benefits forest benefits coastal forests PIR Report gain access to extracted from coastal forest coastal forests are MTR Sufficient capacity for co- resources not legally permitted TE management and benefit- underpinned by a sharing is developed by the formal benefit- project resulting in local sharing agreement communities including women being able to engage effectively in Forest Resource Management Groups and, through their representatives, in Co- Management Committees Outputs Supporting Outcome 2 2.1. Existing systems of participatory natural resource management applied to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal afforestation/reforestation programmes 2.2. A forest product benefit sharing agreement between coastal communities and national government is developed and adopted 2.3 Awareness and capacity of local communities and government staff to promote coastal greenbelt co-management and benefit sharing improved Outcome 3 The number of CPP There are currently By the end of the project, at QOR98 Risks Communal livelihood volunteers trained some 10,000 CPP least 6,000 volunteers PIR Extreme climate events are for climate risks, volunteers in the 7 (representing 60% of the assets in afforestation MTR worse than projected in and reforestation sites disaster target project existing CPP network in the terms of frequency and/or TE are protected from preparedness, and upazilas (50,000 in project target sites) are intensity and CPP network extreme climate events the benefits of total in 27 coastal trained on additional becomes too overstretched. coastal forests for upazilas covered by elements on climate change through effective early warning and climate risk CDMP). However, and disaster preparedness Assumptions preparedness planning mitigation the existing CPP training methodology Extreme climate events
does not contain any occur at similar frequency
elements pertaining and levels of intensity as in to climate risks or recent past and in line with benefits of coastal
98 Quarterly Operational Report
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Indicator Baseline End of Project Targets Source of Risks and Assumptions verification mangrove forests on short-term climate mitigating such risks projections.
Additional communication equipment, gear and training The number and Only around 50% of By the end of the project, QOR99 increase capacity of CPP types of communal existing length of the following investments PIR volunteers sufficiently to livelihood assets coastal embankment are complete: MTR deliver effective early safeguarded from (or 1250 km of a total At least 25 km of TE warning response for the potential of 2,500 km) embankment is extreme climate events in impacts of extreme currently has equipped with sufficient target coastal afforestation and localized adequate drainage drainage channel /reforestation sites climate events provision. At least 10 killas are constructed providing Sufficient land and access to There are currently additional safe havens for livestock land can be obtained near only 300 killas existing cyclone shelters At least 150 sets of compared to nearly without killas in target 3,500 cyclone freshwater supply upazilas shelters most of infrastructure is which do not have safeguarded from floods killas nearby or Design and construction of provision for housing killas, climate-proofing of
livestock within the freshwater supply and shelter. infrastructure provision of drainage in areas of localized flooding within the Baselines on the embankment are technically number of freshwater sound. supply infrastructure will be updated during the project inception phase and established for specific target districts and upazilas Outputs Supporting Outcome 3 3.1. Strengthened CPP network capacity for effective early warning communications for extreme climate events in coastal afforestation sites
99 Quarterly Operational Report
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Indicator Baseline End of Project Targets Source of Risks and Assumptions verification 3.2. Communal livelihood assets in new afforestation and reforestation sites are protected from extreme climate events through dedicated disaster preparedness and risk reduction measures (such as freshwater supply infrastructure, safe havens for livestock and improved drainage)
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IV TOTAL BUDGET AND WORKPLAN
Award ID: 00075892 Project ID: 00087558 Award Title: PIMS 4878 LDCF2: Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh Business Unit: BGD10 Project Title: Integrating Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh PIMS no. 4878 Implementing Partner (Executing Agency) Ministry of Environment and Forest
Responsible Atlas Amount Amount Amount Amount GEF Outcome/Atlas Party / Fund Donor Budget Budgetary ATLAS Budget Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total (USD) Activity Implementing ID Name Note Account Code (USD) (USD) (USD) (USD) Agency OUTCOME 1 MoEF 62160 LDCF Contractual services - 72100 1A Companies (FFF Model) 25,000 125,000 125,000 50,000 325,000 Vulnerability of Contractual services - communities in 72100 1B new afforestation Companies (Agriculture) 25,000 165,000 150,000 50,000 390,000 and reforestation Contractual services - 72100 1C sites reduced Companies (Fisheries) 50,000 165,000 150,000 50,000 415,000 through diversified Contractual services - livelihood options 72100 1D and more effective Companies (livestock) 25,000 215,000 200,000 50,000 490,000 greenbelts Contractual services -
72100 Companies (Other 1E 25,000 165,000 150,000 50,000 390,000 Innovative options) Contractual services -
72100 Companies (Mixed species 1F 40,000 150,000 150,000 50,000 390,000 demonstration) Contractual services - Companies (Mixed species 72100 0 1G protection and 4,000 4,000 2,000 10,000 maintenance) Contractual services - Companies (Assessment of 72100 0 0 0 1H beneficiary selection 10,000 10,000 performance)
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Local consultants- Climate
71300 Change Adaptation 0 1I 7,500 7,500 7,500 22,500 Specialist Local consultants- Climate
71300 Resilient livelihood 0 1J 7,500 7,500 7,500 22,500 Specialist Local consultants -
71300 Environmental and social 0 0 0 1K 8,000 8,000 screening Service Contract-Individual 71400 1L (M&E Specialist) 24,000 24,000 24,000 24,000 96,000 Contractual Services- 1M Individual (Community 71400 Development Associates- 48,000 48,000 48,000 48,000 192,000 4 ) Contractual Services- 1 N
71400 Individual (Community 58,800 58,800 58,800 58,800 235,200 Development Assistants7) 71200 Mid Term Evaluation- 0 12,900 0 0 12,900 1O Team leader 71200 Terminal Evaluation - 0 0 0 1P Team Leader 19,200 19,200 71300 Mid Term Evaluation- 0 0 0 1Q Local Consultant 4,500 4,500 71300 Terminal Evaluation - Local 0 0 0 1R Consultant 6,750 6,750
71600 Travel 1S 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 60,000
72200 0 0 0 1T Equipment and furniture 15,000 15,000 Training, Workshops and 75700 1U Conferences (Local level) 12,000 12,500 17,000 10,000 51,500 Training, Workshops and
75700 Conferences (National 1V 2,000 3,000 5,000 3,000 13,000 level) Audiovisual & Print 74200 1W Production Costs 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 20,000
72500 1X Supplies 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 20,000
74500 1Y Miscellaneous Expenses 5,350 5,200 5,200 5,200 20,950
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Sub-total Outcome 1 403,150 1,197,900 1,137,000 501,950 3,240,000 OUTCOME 2 BFD 62160 LDCF Local consultants (Land 71300 0 0 2A Use policy Expert) 9,000 6,000 15,000 Strengthened Local consultants (Benefit community 71300 0 0 2B involvement in, Sharing Expert) 6,000 9,000 15,000 and ownership of, Local consultants forestry-based 71300 (Knowledge Management 0 0 2C 6,000 9,000 15,000 adaptation and Expert) climate risk Local consultants (Policy reduction 71300 0 0 2D programmes Institution Expert) 6,000 9,000 15,000
71300 Local consultants (MIS) 0 0 2E 6,000 9,000 15,000 71200 Mid Term Evaluation- 0 0 0 2F Team leader 3,225 3,225 71200 Terminal Evaluation - 0 0 0 2G Team Leader 4,800 4,800 71300 Mid Term Evaluation - 0 0 0 2H Local Consultant 1,125 1,125 71300 Terminal Evaluation - Local 0 0 0 2I Consultant 1,688 1,688 Contractual Services- 71400 2J Individual 18,000 18,000 18,000 18,000 72,000 Contractual Services - 72100 0 0 2K Companies 100,000 125,000 225,000
71600 Travel 2L 13,000 13,000 13,000 16,000 55,000 Rental - Transport
73400 Equipment (Speed Boat 2M 21,300 25,000 25,000 25,000 96,300 +Fuel etc) Training, Workshops and 75700 2N Conferences 5,000 10,000 20,000 15,000 50,000
74200 2O Printing & Publication 5,000 8,000 18,000 18,000 49,000
74500 2P Miscellaneous Expenses 1,600 1,500 1,500 2,262 6,862
Sub-total Outcome 2 78,900 206,850 244,500 109,750 640,000 OUTCOME 3 MoEF 62160 LDCF 72200 Equipment and furniture 0 0 0 3A 350,000 350,000
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Communal Training, Workshops and 75700 0 0 3B livelihood assets in Conferences 40,000 80,000 120,000 afforestation and Contractual services - reforestation sites 72100 Companies (Killa 0 3C are protected from 80,000 200,000 200,000 480,000 Construction & Pond) extreme climate Contractual services - events through 72100 Companies (Embankment 3D effective early 50,000 200,000 200,000 50,000 500,000 warning and & safe drinking water) preparedness 71200 Mid Term Evaluation- 0 0 0 3E planning Team leader 5,375 5,375 71200 Terminal Evaluation - 0 0 0 3F Team Leader 1,875 1,875 71300 Mid Term Evaluation - 0 0 0 3G Local Consultant 8,000 8,000 71300 Terminal Evaluation - Local 0 0 0 3H Consultant 2,812 2,812
71300 Local Consultants 0 0 3I 2,200 5,000 7,200 Local consultants -
71300 Environmental and social 0 0 0 3J 2,000 2,000 screening
71600 Travel 3K 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 12,000
74500 3L Miscellaneous Expenses 2,500 2,500 2,500 3,238 10,738
Sub-total Outcome 3 139,700 807,750 485,500 67,050 1,500,000 PROJECT MoEF 62160 LDCF 71400 Service Contract-Individual 0A MANAGEMENT (Project Manager) 28,800 28,800 28,800 28,800 115,200 Service Contract-Individual
71400 (Admin & Finance 0B 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 48,000 Associate) 71400 Service Contract-Individual 0C (Project Assistant) 7,200 7,200 7,200 7,200 28,800
71600 0D Travel 3,500 2,000 2,000 2,000 9,500 Equipment and furniture 72200 0 0 0 0E (PMU) 11,000 11,000 Training, Workshops and 75700 0F Conferences 6,000 1,500 1,500 2,000 11,000
72500 0G Supplies 4,000 4,500 4,500 3,997 16,997
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73400 0H Operations & maintenance 3,000 4,000 4,000 3,000 14,000 UNDP Cost Recovery 74599 0I Charges bills 6,371 3,306 2,833 2,993 15,503
Sub-total PMU 81,871 63,306 62,833 61,990 270,000
Project Total 703,621 2,275,806 1,929,833 740,740 5,650,000
Summary of Amount Amount Amount Amount TOTAL Y1- Funds: 100 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Y4 LDCF 703,621 2,275,806 1,929,833 740,740 5,650,000 BCCRF CRPARP 2,500,000 10,000,000 10,000,000 12,500,000 35,000,000 USAID CREL 500,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 500,000 10,000,000 UNDP CDMP-II - 1,000,000 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 TOTAL 3,703,621 17,275,806 17,929,833 13,740,740 52,650,000
100 Summary table should include all financing of all kinds: GEF financing, co-financing, cash, in-kind, etc...
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Budget Notes (all figures are in US dollar) Note Description of cost item Contractual services Site specific Community-Based Adaptation Measures will be developed for 4 project sites through the respective government departments i.e. DAE for agricultural adaptation, DoF for fisheries adaptation, DoL for livestock adaptation, etc. Total allocation for this service is $2,010,000. A breakdown of the costs per implementing partners is as below 1A Construction of FFF model targeting 500 households: $ 325,000 (Y1-4). This will be supported by the Forest Department 1B Dissemination/propagation of community-based adaptation option for agriculture (resilient seed varieties, techniques and tools for intercropping/alley cropping, etc) targeting 2,500 households: $390,000 (Y1-4). This will be supported by the Department of Agriculture Extension 1C Livelihood support for fishers targeting 2,500 households: $415,000 (Y1-4) This will be supported by the Department of Fisheries 1D Diversified livestock rearing targeting 2,500 landless or land-poor households (duck, pigeon, chicken, etc): $490,000 (Y1-4) This will be supported by the Department of Livestock 1E Additional livelihood diversifications support (e.g. apiculture and honey processing, seedbeds nursery, floating vegetable cultivation, cultivation and marketing of flowers): $390,000 (Y1-4) 1F Diversified “model” plantation support covering 650 ha (@ approximately $610/ha using 12 species). 1G Maintenance of the diversified “model” plantation: $10,000 (Y2-3) 1H A subnational level assessment of the performance of the beneficiary selection: $10,000 (Y2) 1I & Local consultants: Total $45,000 1J 1. Climate Change Adaptation Specialist: 9 months (Y1-3 @$2,500/month) 2. Climate Resilient Livelihood Specialist: 9 months (Y1-3 @$2,500/month) 1K Environmental and social screening consultant: $10,000 (Prorated) Outcome 1 contribution is 80% of the total) 1L Monitoring and Evaluation specialist: 48 months (Y1-4 @2,000/month) 1M 1. 4 Community Development Associates: Each 48 months (Y1-4 @$1,000/month) & 2. 7 Community Development Assistants: Each 48 months (Y1-4 @$700/month) 1N 1O International consultants for MTR: $21,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $700 = total $21,000 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 1 contribution is 60% of the total) 1P International consultants for TE: $32,000 (Prorated across Outcomes) 45 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $700 = total $31,500 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 1 contribution is 60% of the total) 1Q National consultants for MTR: $7,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $250 = total $7,500. (Component 1 contribution is 60% of the total) 1R National consultants for TE: $11,250 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $250 = total $11,250. (Component 1 contribution is 60% of the total) 1S Domestic travel
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1T Equipment needed for Community Development Associates and Assistants based in District Forest Divisional Offices 1U Training and workshops planned at the sub-national level including capacity building workshop focusing on adaptive benefits of diversified livelihoods 1V Trainings, workshops and knowledge dissemination events at the national level 1 W Brochures, factsheets, booklets, documentaries and other publicity materials 1X Office supplies for field based officers 1Y Approximately 0.6% of the total Outcome 1 budget during Y1-Y4 is allocated for contingencies related to inflation, currency exchange fluctuations and other external shocks and contingencies, which would increase the cost of travel and materials 2A- Local consultants: Total $75,000 2E 1. Land-use policy expert: 6 months (Y1-2 @$2,500/month) – Output 2.1 2. Benefit-sharing expert: 6 months (Y2-3 @$2,500/month) – Output 2.2 3. Knowledge management expert: 6 months (Y3-4 @$2,500/month) – Output 2.3 4. Policy Institution Expert: 6 months (Y1-2 @$2,500/month) – Output 2.2 5. MIS specialist: 6 months (Y2-3 @$2,500/month) – Output 2.1 2F International consultants for MTR: $21,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $700 = total $21,000 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 2 contribution is 15% of the total) 2G International consultants for TE: $32,000 (Prorated across Outcomes) 45 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $700 = total $31,500 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 2 contribution is 15% of the total) 2H National consultants for MTR: $7,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $250 = total $7,500. (Component 2 contribution is 15% of the total) 2I National consultants for TE: $11,250 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $250 = total $11,250. (Component 2 contribution is 15% of the total) 2J Communication Officer: 48 months (Y1-4 @$1,500/month) 2K Awareness, Training and Capacity Building activities for relevant government officials at the local level, and the CMC members through outsourcing the service to companies preferably to a competent NGO through competitive process by UNDP in consultation with National Project Director under UNDP Direct Country Support. 2L Local travel 2M Transport Equipment: the target areas are very remote and hard to reach and speed boats are often the only means for communication. The allocation is made for covering the costs for boat/speed boat rentals and associated fuel costs. 2N Workshops and trainings on FRPG/CMC membership, facilitation of CMC participation in Disaster Management Committees, regular meetings/workshops between FRPGs and CMCs, policy discussions on experience from benefit-sharing, and general awareness raising (national and local) throughout Output 2.3 2O Printing of brochures and booklets on FRPG and CMC membership and awareness raising materials for benefit-sharing agreement 2P Approximately 1% of the total Outcome 1 budget during Y1-Y4 is allocated for contingencies related to inflation, currency exchange fluctuations and other external shocks and contingencies, which would increase the cost of travel and materials 3A First aid kit, gears, and communication equipment’s for CPP volunteers in 7 target upazilas
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3B Training/workshop/conference for about 6,000 CPP volunteers on basic climate change adaptation and emergency response (Y2-3) 3C Construction of 10 killa (raised earthen platform) and associated pond management for communal livelihood asset protection, especially livestock @ $48,000 each. 3D Improving drainage facility along embankments @ $19,220/km for 25km (total $480,500) Improvement/climate-proofing of small freshwater infrastructure @ $130 per tube/well for 150 tubes/wells (total $19,500) 3E International consultants for MTR: $21,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $700 = total $21,000 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 3 contribution is 25% of the total) 3F International consultants for TE: $32,000 (Prorated across Outcomes) 45 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $700 = total $31,500 plus $500 each for in-country provision. (Component 3 contribution is 25% of the total) 3G National consultants for MTR: $7,500 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y2): 30 x $250 = total $7,500. (Component 3 contribution 2s 15% of the total) 3H National consultants for TE: $11,250 (Prorated across Outcomes) 30 days for mid-term evaluation (Y4): 45 x $250 = total $11,250. (Component 3 contribution is 25% of the total) 3I Site Engineer to plan and supervise the construction and maintenance works for Killa, pond, drainage improvement, and tube/well improvement: 8 months (Y1-2 @ $900/month) 3J Environmental and social screening consultant: $10,000 (Prorated) Outcome 3 contribution is 20% of the total) 3K Local travel 3L Approximately 0.7% of the total Outcome 1 budget during Y1-Y4 is allocated for contingencies related to inflation, currency exchange fluctuations and other external shocks and contingencies, which would increase the cost of travel and materials PROJECT MANAGEMENT 0A Salaries for 48 months of National Project Coordinator (@$2,400/month) 0B Salaries for 48 months of Administrative/Financial Associate (@ $1,000/month) 0C Salaries for 48 months of Project Assistant (@ $600/month) 0D Travel for periodic monitoring and spot checks for PMU staff as well as government officials. This also includes DSA. 0E PMU office set up including 3 laptops, printer and photocopier. There is also allocation for multi-media, Life-jacket for field staff and, fax machine for PMU. Total $11,000 0F $5,000 for inception workshop; $1,000-2,000/year for Project Board meeting related expenditures 0G Office supplies 0H Repairing and maintenance of equipment, rent vehicle and boat, fuel cost etc. Fuel cost of the government vehicles used by Project Management Unit will be covered from this budget too. Total $14,000 0I Direct Project Services (DPS) refers to project ‘execution services’ which UNDP provides at the request of government to support the procurement of goods and services, recruitments, payments, etc. The services are charged on an item by item basis against UNDP’s Universal Price List (UPL). The estimated breakdown of the DPS is as follows: Recruitment of project personnel
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Issuance of contracts Procurement Total is $15,503. This estimate is based on the actual DPS incurred during the first LDCF project.
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V MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
5.1 Project executive and implementing partner (GoB):
The project will be executed according to UNDP’s National Implementation Modality (NIM), as per the NIM project management implementation guidelines agreed by UNDP and the Government of Bangladesh.
5.2 Project Organogram, Management Structure and Responsibilities
Project Organisation Structure
National Steering Committee
Project Board
Executive: Senior Beneficiary: Senior Supplier: MoEF Arannyak Foundation UNDP and CMC members
National Project Project Assurance Director (FD/MoEF) UNDP Bangladesh CO
UNDP-GEF (APRC/HQ)
PMU Project Manager Finance Assistant Office executive Office attendant Database manager
Field level staff Community Organizers (COs) – 2 COs stationed at each target district
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Implementing Partner (IP). At the national level, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), will act as the Implementing Partner (Project Executive) of the project. Based on the standard NIM procedures, the MoEF will be responsible for the overall project and reporting to UNDP Bangladesh Country Office. The MoEF will establish a Project Management Unit (PMU) in Dhaka with a full time National Project Manager and other core project staff. The Project Executive (MoEF) will appoint the Secretary of the MoEF as the National Project Director (NPD), given the strategic importance of the project. The NPD will be supported by the National Project Manager within the PMU.
Responsible Party (RP). The MoEF will designate the Department of Forest (DF), within the MoEF, as a responsible party to implement Outcome 1 of the proposed project. The DF is considered best placed to carry out activities related to Outcome 1 as they are the main focal agency for the baseline CRPAR project. This will ensure smooth coordination and alignment with the baseline project and that the additionality of LDCF resources over the baseline development is maintained. As per the standard UNDP modality, the FD, as an RP, will be responsible for the delivery of the results towards achieving Outcome 1 and accountable to the National Project Director.
National Steering Committee (Outcome Board). The National Steering Committee (or also known as the Outcome Board) will be established by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). It is chaired by the Secretary of the MoEF and the members include the UNDP Resident Representative and senior officials of the respective ministries, implementing agencies, District Commissioners and those cooperating organizations/institutions, which have a direct bearing on the successful implementation of the project. The Outcome Board can co-opt members as deemed necessary. It will meet on a six-monthly basis, or more frequently if necessary.
Project Board (PB). The Project Board will meet once per quarter, or more frequently as necessary. The Project Board will be the main decision-making body of the project. Work of the Project Board will be guided by the continuous review, alignment and approval of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), which will be endorsed by the Implementing Partners and UNDP. The approved annual/quarterly work plans will be the instruments of authorization through which the Project Manager will deliver results. The Project Board will consist of: (1) the National Project Director (NPD) (the Executive), representing project ownership and chairing the Project Board. The MoEF will nominate the NPD, who, given the strategic importance of the project, is expected to be a senior official from the MoEF/FD; (2) Project Directors from FD, DAE, Fisheries & Livestock, BFRI, MoL who will be nominated by the respective Ministry and will be responsible for implementing specific project components; (3) a UNDP representative in the role of Senior Supplier (representing the interests of the parties concerned which provide funding and/or technical expertise to the project) will provide guidance regarding technical feasibility and support to the project, and (4) Representatives of other implementing partner organizations as the direct beneficiaries.
The PB plays a critical role in project monitoring and evaluations by assuring quality of the project’s processes and products, and using evaluations for performance improvement, accountability and learning. It ensures that required resources are committed and arbitrates on any conflicts within the project or negotiates a solution to any problems with external bodies.
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In order to ensure UNDP’s ultimate accountability for the project results, Project Board decisions will be made in accordance to standards that shall ensure management for development results, best value money, fairness, integrity, transparency and effective international competition. In case consensus cannot be reached within the Board, the final decision shall rest with the UNDP Project Manager (i.e. UNDP Bangladesh CO). Given the close coordination that this project will ensure with the CRPAR project and USAID CREL project, representatives from these projects will be invited to the Board. The Project Board contains three distinct roles, including:
An Executive: individual representing the project ownership to chair the group. This will be the National Project Director.
Senior Supplier: individual or group representing the interests of the parties concerned which provide funding for specific cost sharing projects and/or technical expertise to the project. The Senior Supplier’s primary function within the Board is to provide guidance regarding the technical feasibility of the project. This will be a Representative from UNDP that is held accountable for fiduciary oversight of LDCF resources in this initiative.
Senior Beneficiary: individual or group of individuals representing the interests of those who will ultimately benefit from the project. The Senior Beneficiary’s primary function within the Board is to ensure the realization of project results from the perspective of project beneficiaries. This will be representatives from Arannyak Foundation and selected members of Co- Management Committees.
Specific responsibilities of the PB: Defining a project • Review and approve the Initiation Plan (if such plan was required and submitted to the Local PAC). Initiating a project • Agree on Project Manager’s responsibilities, as well as the responsibilities of the other members of the Project Management Unit; • Delegate any Project Assurance function as appropriate; • Review the Progress Report for the Initiation Stage (if an Initiation Plan was required); • Review and appraise detailed Project Plan and Annual Work Plan, including Atlas reports covering activity definition, quality criteria, issue log, updated risk log and the monitoring and communication plan. Running a project • Provide overall guidance and direction to the project, ensuring it remains within any specified constraints; • Address project issues as raised by the Project Manager; • Provide guidance and agree on possible countermeasures/management actions to address specific risks; • Agree on Project Manager’s tolerances in the Annual Work Plan and quarterly plans when required; • Conduct regular meetings to review the Project Quarterly Progress Report and provide direction and recommendations to ensure that the agreed deliverables are produced satisfactorily according to plans. • Review Combined Delivery Reports (CDR) prior to certification by the Implementing Partner; • Appraise the Project Annual Review Report, make recommendations for the next Annual WorkPlan, and inform the Outcome Board about the results of the review.
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• Review and approve end project report, make recommendations for follow-on actions; • Provide ad-hoc direction and advice for exception situations when project manager’s tolerances are exceeded; • Assess and decide on project changes through revisions; Closing a project • Assure that all Project deliverables have been produced satisfactorily; • Review and approve the Final Project Review Report, including Lessons-learned; • Make recommendations for follow-on actions to be submitted to the Outcome Board; • Commission project evaluation (only when required by partnership agreement) • Notify operational completion of the project to the Outcome Board
Specific Responsibilities of Executive (as part of the above responsibilities for the Project Board) • Ensure that there is a coherent project organisation structure and logical set of plans • Set tolerances in the Annual Work Plan and other plans as required for the Project Manager • Monitor and control the progress of the project at a strategic level • Ensure that risks are being tracked and mitigated as effectively as possible • Brief Outcome Board and relevant stakeholders about project progress • Organise and chair Project Board meetings • The Executive is responsible for overall assurance of the project as described below. If the project warrants it, the Executive may delegate some responsibility for the project assurance functions.
Specific Responsibilities of Senior Supplier (as part of the above responsibilities for the Project Board) • Make sure that progress towards the outputs remains consistent from the supplier perspective • Promote and maintain focus on the expected project output(s) from the point of view of supplier management • Ensure that the supplier resources required for the project are made available • Contribute supplier opinions on Project Board decisions on whether to implement recommendations on proposed changes • Arbitrate on, and ensure resolution of, any supplier priority or resource conflicts
The supplier assurance role responsibilities are to: • Advise on the selection of strategy, design and methods to carry out project activities • Ensure that any standards defined for the project are met and used to good effect • Monitor potential changes and their impact on the quality of deliverables from a supplier perspective • Monitor any risks in the implementation aspects of the project
Specific Responsibilities of Senior Beneficiary (as part of the above responsibilities for the Project Board) • Ensure the expected output(s) and related activities of the project are well defined • Make sure that progress towards the outputs required by the beneficiaries remains consistent from the beneficiary perspective • Promote and maintain focus on the expected project output(s) • Prioritise and contribute beneficiaries’ opinions on Project Board decisions on whether to implement recommendations on proposed changes • Resolve priority conflicts
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The assurance responsibilities of the Senior Beneficiary are to check that: • Specification of the Beneficiary’s needs is accurate, complete and unambiguous • Implementation of activities at all stages is monitored to ensure that they will meet the beneficiary’s needs and are progressing towards that target • Impact of potential changes is evaluated from the beneficiary point of view • Risks to the beneficiaries are frequently monitored
Project Management Unit (PMU): The PMU will be based in Dhaka within the MoEF. It will consist of a National Project Manager, a procurement and logistics associate, a finance assistant, an office executive, and an office attendant. The PMU will amongst other tasks, i) develop Standard Operating Procedures for project implementation, ii) develop Quarterly and Annual WorkPlans and Budgets, iii) provide financial and administrative management support, iv) prepare Quarterly and Annual Financial and Technical Progress Reports to be submitted to the MoEF, and v) ensure compliance with applicable UNDP/GEF/LDCF/Government rules and regulations.
National Project Manager: The Project Manager has the authority to run the project on a day- to-day basis on behalf of the Implementing Partner within the constraints laid down by the Board. The Project Manager’s prime responsibility is to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.
Terms of References of key project staff and experts are provided in Annex 9.
The sub-national level project activities will be supported by Community Organizers based at four Divisional Forest Offices in project target areas. Eight Community Organizers will be recruited to facilitate activities at the local site level and report to the Project Management Unit. The Forest Department will provide office space and necessary communication facilities such as telephone and fax services for the Community Organizers.
5.3 Audit arrangements
Audits will be conducted in accordance with the UNDP NIM Audit policies and procedures, and based on UN Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) policy framework. Annual audit of the financial statements relating to the status of UNDP (including GEF) funds will be undertaken according to the established procedures set out in the Programming and Finance manuals. The Audit will be conducted by a special and certified audit firm. UNDP will be responsible for making audit arrangements for the project in communication with the Project Implementing Partner. UNDP and the project Implementing Partner will provide audit management responses and the Project Manager and project support team (PSU) will address audit recommendations. As a part of its oversight function, UNDP will conduct audit spot checks at least two times a year.
5.4 UNDP support services
As per standard agreement between UNDP and the Government of Bangladesh, and upon request from the Implementing Partner (IP), UNDP Bangladesh CO may provide the following support services to the IP, and recover the actual direct and indirect costs incurred by the MCO in delivering such services:
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• Payments, disbursements and other financial transactions • Recruitment of staff, project personnel, and consultants • Procurement of services and equipment, including disposals • Organization of training activities, conferences, and workshops, including fellowships • Travel authorization, Government clearances ticketing, and travel arrangements • Shipment, custom clearance, and vehicle registration. For more information, see Budget Note item 0I in Section 4. The estimate for UNDP Country Office Support Services presented in Budget Note item 0I will be validated and recorded in a Letter of Agreement before the inception of the project.
5.5 Intellectual property rights
These will be retained by the employing organization of the personnel who develops intellectual products, either Government or UN/UNDP in accordance with respectively national and UN/UNDP policies and procedures.
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VI 6. MONITORING FRAMEWORK AND EVALUATION
The project will be monitored through the following M&E activities. The M&E budget is provided in the table below. The M&E framework set out in the Project Results Framework in Part III of this project document is aligned with the AMAT and UNDP M&E frameworks.
6.1 Project start and implementation
A Project Inception Workshop will be held within the first 3 months of project start with those with assigned roles in the project organization structure, UNDP country office and where appropriate/feasible regional technical policy and programme advisors as well as other stakeholders. The Inception Workshop is crucial to building ownership for the project results and to plan the first year annual work plan.
The Inception Workshop should address a number of key issues including: • Assist all partners to fully understand and take ownership of the project. Detail the roles, support services and complementary responsibilities of UNDP CO and RCU staff vis-à-vis the project team. Discuss the roles, functions, and responsibilities within the project's decision-making structures, including reporting and communication lines, and conflict resolution mechanisms. The Terms of Reference for project staff will be discussed again as needed. • Based on the project results framework and the LDCF related AMAT set out in the Project Results Framework in Section III of this project document, and finalize the first annual work plan. Review and agree on the indicators, targets and their means of verification, and recheck assumptions and risks. • Provide a detailed overview of reporting, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) requirements. The Monitoring and Evaluation work plan and budget should be agreed and scheduled. • Discuss financial reporting procedures and obligations, and arrangements for annual audit. • Plan and schedule PB meetings. Roles and responsibilities of all project organisation structures should be clarified and meetings planned. The first PB meeting should be held within the first 12 months following the inception workshop.
An Inception Workshop report is a key reference document and must be prepared and shared with participants to formalize various agreements and plans decided during the meeting.
Quarterly: • Progress made shall be monitored in the UNDP Enhanced Results Based Managment Platform. • Based on the initial risk analysis submitted, the risk log shall be regularly updated in ATLAS. Risks become critical when the impact and probability are high. Note that for UNDP GEF projects, all financial risks associated with financial instruments such as revolving funds, microfinance schemes, or capitalization of ESCOs are automatically classified as critical on the basis of their innovative nature (high impact and uncertainty due to no previous experience justifies classification as critical). • Based on the information recorded in Atlas, a Project Progress Reports (PPR) can be generated in the Executive Snapshot. • Other ATLAS logs can be used to monitor issues, lessons learned etc. The use of these functions is a key indicator in the UNDP Executive Balanced Scorecard.
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Annually: Annual Project Review/Project Implementation Reports (APR/PIR): This key report is prepared to monitor progress made since project start and in particular for the previous reporting period (30 June to 1 July). The APR/PIR combines both UNDP and GEF reporting requirements.
• The APR/PIR includes, but is not limited to, reporting on the following: • Progress made toward project objective and project outcomes - each with indicators, baseline data and end-of-project targets (cumulative) • Project outputs delivered per project outcome (annual). • Lesson learned/good practice. • AWP and other expenditure reports • Risk and adaptive management • ATLAS QPR
Periodic Monitoring through site visits: UNDP CO and the UNDP GEF region based staff will conduct visits to project sites based on the agreed schedule in the project's Inception Report/Annual Work Plan to assess first hand project progress. Other members of the Project Board may also join these visits. A Field Visit Report/BTOR will be prepared by the CO and UNDP RCU and will be circulated no less than one month after the visit to the project team and Project Board members.
6.2 Mid-term of project cycle
The project will undergo an independent Mid-Term Evaluation at the mid-point of project implementation expected to be in May 2015. The Mid-Term Review will determine progress being made toward the achievement of outcomes and will identify course correction if needed. It will focus on the effectiveness, efficiency and timeliness of project implementation; will highlight issues requiring decisions and actions; and will present initial lessons learned about project design, implementation and management. Findings of this review will be incorporated as recommendations for enhanced implementation during the final half of the project’s term. The organization, terms of reference and timing of the mid-term review will be decided after consultation between the parties to the project document. The Terms of Reference for this Mid- term review will be prepared by the UNDP CO based on guidance from the Regional Coordinating Unit and UNDP-GEF. The LDFC/SCCF AMAT as set out in the Project Results Framework in Section III of this project document) will also be completed during the mid-term evaluation cycle. The management response and the evaluation will be uploaded to UNDP corporate systems, in particular the UNDP Evaluation Office Evaluation Resource Center (ERC).
6.3 End of Project
An independent Terminal Evaluation will take place three months prior to the final PB meeting and will be undertaken in accordance with UNDP-GEF guidance. The terminal evaluation will focus on the delivery of the project’s results as initially planned (and as corrected after the mid- term review, if any such correction took place). The terminal evaluation will look at impact and sustainability of results, including the contribution to capacity development and the achievement of global environmental benefits/goals. The Terms of Reference for this evaluation will be prepared by the UNDP CO based on guidance from the Regional Coordinating Unit and UNDP- GEF. The LDFC/SCCF AMAT as set out in the Project Results Framework in Section III of this
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project document) will also be completed during the terminal evaluation cycle. The Terminal Evaluation should also provide recommendations for follow-up activities and requires a management response, which should be uploaded to PIMS and to the UNDP Evaluation Office Evaluation Resource Center (ERC).
Learning and knowledge sharing: Results from the project will be disseminated within and beyond the project intervention zone through existing information sharing networks and forums. The project will identify and participate, as relevant and appropriate, in scientific, policy-based and/or any other networks, which may be of benefit to project implementation though lessons learned. The project will identify, analyze, and share lessons learned that might be beneficial in the design and implementation of similar future projects. There will be a two-way flow of information between this project and other projects of a similar focus.
Communications and visibility requirements Full compliance is required with UNDP’s Branding Guidelines. These can be accessed at http://intra.undp.org/coa/ branding.shtml, and specific guidelines on UNDP logo use can be accessed at: http://intra.undp.org/branding/useOfLogo.html. Amongst other things, these guidelines describe when and how the UNDP logo needs to be used, as well as how the logos of donors to UNDP projects needs to be used. For the avoidance of any doubt, when logo use is required, the UNDP logo needs to be used alongside the GEF logo. The GEF logo can be accessed at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/GEF_logo. The UNDP logo can be accessed at http://intra.undp.org/coa/ branding.shtml.
Full compliance is also required with the GEF’s Communication and Visibility Guidelines (the “GEF Guidelines”). The GEF Guidelines can be accessed at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/ sites/thegef.org/files/documents/C.40.08_Branding_the_ GEF%20final_0.pdf. Amongst other things, the GEF Guidelines describe when and how the GEF logo needs to be used in project publications, vehicles, supplies and other project equipment. The GEF Guidelines also describe other GEF promotional requirements regarding press releases, press conferences, press visits, visits by Government officials, productions and other promotional items.
Where other agencies and project partners have provided support through co-financing, their branding policies and requirements should be similarly applied.
Audit: The Project will be audited in accordance with UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules and applicable audit policies
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6.4 M&E workplan and budget
Type of M&E Responsible Parties Budget US$ Time frame activity Excluding project team staff time Inception . Project Manager Within first two Indicative cost: Workshop and . PMU months of project $5,000 start up Report . UNDP CO, UNDP GEF Measurement of . UNDP GEF RTA/Project To be finalized in Start, mid and Means of Manager will oversee the hiring Inception Phase and end of project Verification of of specific studies and Workshop. (during evaluation project results. institutions, and delegate cycle) and responsibilities to relevant annually when team members required. . PMU Measurement of . Oversight by Project Manager To be determined as Annually prior to Means of . PMU part of the Annual ARR/PIR and to Verification for Work Plan's the definition of . Implementation teams Project Progress preparation. annual work on output and plans implementation ARR/PIR . Project Manager None Annually . PMU . UNDP CO . UNDP RTA . UNDP EEG Periodic status/ . Project Manager and team None Quarterly progress reports Mid-term . Project Manager Indicative cost: At the mid-point Evaluation . PMU $29,000 of project implementation. . UNDP CO . UNDP RCU . External Consultants (i.e. evaluation team) Terminal . Project Manager Indicative cost : At least three Evaluation . PMU $43,250 months before the end of project . UNDP CO implementation . UNDP RCU . External Consultants (i.e. evaluation team) Synthesis of major . Project Team achievements & . UNDP CO Lessons learned . BFD report . CMCs/FRPGs $10,000 . Key Project Cofinancing Partners (BCCRF CRPARP /USAID CREL /CDMP)
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Type of M&E Responsible Parties Budget US$ Time frame activity Excluding project team staff time . UNDP-GEF RCU Audit . UNDP CO Indicative cost per Yearly . Project Manager year: $3,000 ($12,000 . PMU total) Visits to field sites . UNDP CO For GEF supported Yearly for UNDP projects, paid from IA CO; as required . UNDP RCU (as appropriate) fees and operational by UNDP RCU . Government representatives budget TOTAL indicative COST US$ 99,250 Excluding project team staff time and UNDP staff and (+/- 5% of total travel expenses budget)
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VII 7. LEGAL CONTEXT
This document together with the CPAP signed by the Government and UNDP which is incorporated by reference constitute together a Project Document as referred to in the SBAA [or other appropriate governing agreement] and all CPAP provisions apply to this document.
Consistent with the Article III of the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement, the responsibility for the safety and security of the implementing partner and its personnel and property, and of UNDP’s property in the implementing partner’s custody, rests with the implementing partner.
The implementing partner shall:
put in place an appropriate security plan and maintain the security plan, taking into account the security situation in the country where the project is being carried; assume all risks and liabilities related to the implementing partner’s security, and the full implementation of the security plan.
UNDP reserves the right to verify whether such a plan is in place, and to suggest modifications to the plan when necessary. Failure to maintain and implement an appropriate security plan as required hereunder shall be deemed a breach of this agreement.
The implementing partner agrees to undertake all reasonable efforts to ensure that none of the UNDP funds received pursuant to the Project Document are used to provide support to individuals or entities associated with terrorism and that the recipients of any amounts provided by UNDP/GEF hereunder do not appear on the list maintained by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). The list can be accessed via http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1267/1267ListEng.htm. This provision must be included in all sub-contracts or sub-agreements entered into under this Project Document.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh is authorized to effect in writing the following types of revision to this Project Document, provided that he/she has verified the agreement thereto by the UNDP Regional Coordination Unit and is assured that the other signatories to the Project Document have no objection to the proposed changes:
Revision of, or addition to, any of the annexes to the Project Document; Revisions which do not involve significant changes in the immediate objectives, outputs or activities of the project, but are caused by the rearrangement of the inputs already agreed to or by cost increases due to inflation; Mandatory annual revisions which re-phase the delivery of agreed project inputs or increased expert or other costs due to inflation or take into account agency expenditure flexibility; and Inclusion of additional annexes and attachments only as set out here in this Project Document
8. Annexes
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116 Annex 1 Climate Risk Profile of Bangladesh with Special Reference to the Coastal Zone
Climate change is expected to significantly aggravate existing hazards in Bangladesh such as flooding from cyclones and storm surges and increasing variations in temperature and rainfall and is thus recognized as one of the greatest threats to human lives and livelihoods in the country, particularly in the highly exposed coastal zone. Climate change is expected to have major consequences for people’s livelihoods in terms of employment, income generation options, food security as well as macroeconomic impacts on various sectors, including agriculture, industry, infrastructure, disaster management, health and energy. Various groups in society will experience the impacts in various degrees depending on their initial economic status, geographic location (coastal or non-coastal, rural or urban), gender and other factors. However, one can safely assume that the poor and most vulnerable, particularly in the coastal zones, will experience a disproportionate share of the adverse consequences of climate change.
Climate variability and extreme weather events are already having adverse effects on the overall development of Bangladesh.
Coastal Zone of Bangladesh at a glance
Area: 47,201 sq. km or approximately one third of the country Coastline length of 710 km running parallel to the Bay of Bengal Covers 19 districts1 out of 64, including 48 upazilas2 in 12 districts that are considered to be ‘exposed’ directly to vulnerabilities from natural disasters Population: 36.8 million people or 28% of country’s population Poverty levels: more than half of coastal population (52%) are poor Demography: about 41% of the population is below 15 years of age Eco-systems: mangrove, marine, estuary, islands, coral, sandy beaches, sand dunes and has both 'world heritage sites' and 'ecologically critical areas Siltation: Ganges/Padma, Brahmaputra/Jamuna and Megna river carry 2 billion tonnes of sediments every year from upstream and build chars or newly accreted lands along the coast and in riverine areas
Source: Coastal Zone Policy 2005, BCCSAP 2009 3
In terms of the impact of climate change Bangladesh will experience a range of effects of varying severity, which will include:
1 The districts are Bagerhat, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Gopalganj, Jessore, Jhalkati, Khulna, Lakshmipur, Narail, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Satkhira and Shariatpur 2 Upazilla is small administrative unit of Bangladesh (sub-district) 3 BCCSAP. 2009 Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 1 average weather temperatures rising; more extreme hot and cold spells; rainfall being less when it is most needed for agriculture, and more in the monsoon further exacerbating existing annual problems with flooding; melting of glaciers in the source areas of Bangladesh’s rivers altering the hydrological cycle; more powerful tornados and cyclones; and sea level rise displacing communities, turning freshwater saline and facilitating more powerful storm surges.
Figure A1.1 Ganges/Padma, Brahmaputra/Jamuna and Megna River Basins
Even without climate change, Bangladesh is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. The natural disaster survey group recorded 137 cyclones and 64 floods between 1907 and 2004 with an estimated loss worth US$30 billion, which is equivalent to four years of the national budget of Bangladesh (Ahammad & Baten, 2008). Furthermore, the shallow, funnel- shaped Bay of Bengal, which borders the country to the south, intensifies cyclones and storm surges, increasing their impact on the country’s low-lying coastal plains. Altogether, there were nearly 30 tropical cyclones in the second half of the last century; a particularly devastating cyclone resulted in the loss of 138,000 lives in April 1991 (Rahman, 2010).4 Climate change is projected to increase the number and intensity of disasters like these.
The climate change induced problem at a glance
Cyclones, storm surges, floods and drought are the main climate-related hazards affecting Bangladesh. Climate-change is expected to further exacerbate the following problems:
4 Rahman, A. Atiq and et al. 2010, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: Issues and Challenges for Coastal Communities in the Indian Ocean Region, www.stimson.org/rv
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 2 (a) scarcity of fresh water due to less rain and higher evapo-transpiration in the dry season (b) drainage congestion due to higher water levels in the confluence with the rise of sea level, (c) river bank erosion (d) frequent floods and prolonged and widespread drought (e) wider salinity in the surface, ground and soil in the coastal zone.
Several studies indicate that coastal zone vulnerability would be acute due to the combined effects of climate change, sea level rise and changes of upstream river discharge, cyclones and coastal embankments.
Four key types of primary physical effects have been identified as key vulnerabilities in the coastal area of Bangladesh (WB, 2000)
saline water intrusion drainage congestion extreme events and changes in coastal morphology
Lack of safe drinking water, overexploitation of natural resources, water logging, river siltation and hill cutting also add to vulnerabilities.
Source: BCAS/RA/Approtech, 1994 5; WB, 2000 6
Saline Water Intrusion: The increasing penetration of saltwater through the groundwater and along rivers inland from the coast will cause increasing problems for coastal populations. The effect of saline water intrusion in the estuaries and into the groundwater would be enhanced by low river flow in the dry season and sea level rise. Pressure of the growing population and rising demand due to economic development will further reduce relative availability of fresh water supply in future. The adverse effects of saline water intrusion will be significant on coastal agriculture and the availability of fresh water for public and industrial water supply will fall (NAPA, 2005).
Saline intrusion from sea level rise will degrade water quality in coastal rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. This degradation will in turn put stress on the existing drinking water sources—which is already a problem affecting Bangladesh to varying extents. For example, over 6,000 ponds were contaminated with saline water from Cyclone Sidr in 2007 in Bangladesh (Rahman, 2010). More pollution will lead to more waterborne illnesses such as cholera and diarrheal diseases. In addition to effects on agricultural productivity, drinking water quality; salinity intrusion may significantly damage aquatic ecosystems in the coastal region, which might have adverse impacts on sensitive flora & faunal species.
Currently, about 6 million people are already exposed to high salinity (>5 ppt), but due to climate change this is expected to increase to 13.6 million in year 2050 (Mohal & Hossain, 2007). This will be due to the boundary to the area of high salinity moving gradually towards north by 40 km
5 BCAS. Resource Analysis, The Netherlands. Approtech Consultants Limited. 1994. Vulnerability of Bangladesh to Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: Concepts and Tools for Calculating Risk in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Technical Report Volume I: Text. Dhaka : Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, Resource Analysis, The Netherlands and Approtech Consultants Limited. 6 World Bank, 2000. “Bangladesh: Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Report No. 21104- BD”, Rural Development Unit, South Asia Region, The World Bank (WB), Dhaka
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 3 to 60 km inland from the coast by 2100 (Mohal et al, 2006; NAPA, 2005). Potentially increased salinity in coastal areas could mean that 659,000 metric tonnes of annual rice production could be lost due to climate change (Habibullah et al, 1999). It has been found from different studies that, agricultural production, fisheries, livestock, and mangrove forests are affected by higher salinity.
Figure A1.2: Coastal area of Bangladesh
Drainage Congestion:
Drainage congestion is already a growing important problem in the coastal areas of Bangladesh and is likely to be made worse by climate change (Tanner et al, 2007). This will be made even worse by the expected rise in monsoon rainfall and its effect will be particularly strong in the coastal zone. Drainage congestion occurs mainly from July to October when cultivation of transplanted Aman rice is damaged if water depth is more than 30cm for over 3 days. This water logging will harm agriculture, make flooding worse and increase water borne diseases (NAPA, 2005).
The combined effect of higher sea water levels, siltation of estuary branches, higher riverbed levels and reduced sedimentation in flood-protected areas will impede drainage and gradually increase water logging problems. This effect will be particularly strong in the coastal zone. The problem will be aggravated by the continuous development of infrastructure (e.g. roads, embankment) reducing further the limited natural drainage capacity in the delta. Increased periods of inundation may hamper agricultural productivity, and will also threaten human health by increasing the potential for water borne disease (NAPA 2005).
Cyclones and Storm Surge Flooding:
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 4
Bangladesh is situated on a low-lying floodplain made up of the lower reaches of the Ganges (known in Bangladesh as the Padma), the Brahmaputra (known in Bangladesh as the Jamuna) and the Megna rivers and is especially vulnerable to storm surges, which result from seawater being pushed inland by strong tropical cyclone winds. The long wave tidal surges generated by cyclones are further intensified by the shallowness of the Bay of Bengal near the Bangladesh coast. Cyclones are common along the 710 km coastline of Bangladesh (Tanner et al, 2007) and usually occur in late May and in early November but wind risk areas extend their impacts far inland (Islam, 1994). Severe cyclones currently occur at a rate of 1.3 per year with speeds as high as 275 km per hour (Chowdhury, 2002).
Figure A1.3: Cyclone-prone areas of Bangladesh
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 5
Storm surge floods7 cause widespread damage to property, agricultural incomes and loss of life (Mirza, 2002). Additionally, such flooding increases the risk of diseases by extending the range of vectors such as mosquitoes, bacteria and other pathogens as well as by washing agricultural pesticides into drinking water, wetlands and fishponds. These factors combined are frequently economically devastating, both at the individual level by pushing people down below the poverty line and in macro-economic terms by slowing growth and creating dislocations through widespread migration and other social and economic impacts.
Cyclone Sidr in November 2007, for example, had winds of 240 kilometers per hour that swept through the southwestern coastal areas within 155-miles radius of its eye with heavy rain and storm surges that reached up to 15-20 feet high in some places. Twelve districts were impacted Barisal, Patuakhali, Borguna, Pirojpur, Jhalkthi, Bhola, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira, Shariatpur, Chittagong; the four worst affected included two of the districts targeted under this project: Barguna and Patuakhali. Sidr resulted in 3,363 recorded deaths and 55,282 injuries. Over 560,000 houses were totally destroyed and 950,000 houses were partly damaged. It is also reported that 186,883 hectares of crop areas were fully damaged and 498,645-hectares partly damaged.8 However, even less severe storm surges have serious often cumulative socio- economic impacts due to the frequency of occurrence of such events.
Cyclones and associated storm surges are expected to become more intense with climate change.
Sea Level Rise:
Projected sea level rise could flood the homes of millions of people living in the low-lying coastal areas of Bangladesh. Sea level rise will also tend to worsen on-going coastal erosion and could result in the displacement of millions of coastal people. The Bangladesh Water Development Board suggest that the combined effect of global warming and subsidence will result in a net sea level rise of a maximum of 30 cm by 2030 (Jenkins, 2006) and a maximum 50 cm by 2100 (A. Jenkins pers com, 2008), by taking lower estimates for both. Thus, sea level rise by 2100 is projected to be at least 40 cm higher than today’s levels (Cruz et al, 2007) and possibly as high as 1 metre (T. Tanner pers com, 2008).
Recent estimates based on assumptions in the Government of Bangladesh’s NAPA 9 of the likely land area that may be permanently lost to the sea suggest that this may amount to 3% and 6% of Bangladesh by the 2030s and 2050s, respectively (Tanner et al, 2007). Estimates of the likely impacts of sea level rise at 50 cm and 1 m vary, with some suggesting that the lower level is enough to flood 10% of Bangladesh (e.g. Rahman 2010), while others say this will only happen with a 1m rise in sea level (e.g. Singh, 2001). While the exact numbers are disputed, it is clear that millions of people will lose their homes and livelihoods and be forced to migrate with sea level rise given given the high population of the coastal zone. Estimates vary ranging from 15-35 million people losing their homes and being displaced from 20 coastal districts by 2050 under different scenarios (Nicholls & Mimura, 1998)10. Sea level rise and coastal erosion
7 There are four main types of floods found in Bangladesh: flash floods, river floods, rain floods and coastal storm- surge floods. 8 National Plan for Disaster Management 2010-201, Disaster Management Bureau, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Dhaka, Bangladesh 9 NAPA. 2005. National Adaptation Programme of Action, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh 10 James S. Pender, 2007, what is climate change? and how it will effect Bangladesh, Norwegian Church Aid
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 6 combined with the impacts of cyclones, and storm surges will also put coastal infrastructure at increasing risk, including industrial facilities, energy and sanitation systems, transportation and communication networks, and tourist and cultural sites.
Human Health & Disease: The health problem will arise due to climatic factors such as temperature rise, degrading water quality as well shortage giving rise to increased possibility of cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria and typhoid and also involuntary fetus abortion in the coastal areas due to rising salinity leading to hypertension. In along coast of Bangladesh warmer sea-surface temperatures would support higher phytoplankton growth. These phytoplankton blooms provide excellent habitats for the survival and spread of infectious bacterial diseases such as cholera (Cruz et al, 2007).
However, many more people could be affected by climate changes impact on disease, and a number of diseases in Bangladesh may become more common due to hotter weather and changing rainfall patterns (Kovats & Alam, 2007). Nevertheless, the combination of higher temperatures and potential increases in summer precipitation could create favorable conditions for greater intensity or spread of many infectious diseases. Increased risk to human health from increased flooding and cyclones seems most likely. Another factor to consider is that access to adequate health care is already difficult for the poorest and most vulnerable-who are also likely to be the group most adversely impacted (World Bank, 2002) 11.
Agriculture and Livelihoods: Agriculture, fisheries, forestry and forestry products, and livestock are the primary livelihoods of the coastal communities, particularly agriculture, which also provides employment to the landless. All these sectors are vulnerable both to gradual onset phenomena and extreme weather events related to climate change. The most damaging effects of climate change are floods, salinity intrusion and droughts that are found to drastically affect crop productivity almost every year. Agriculture is of critical importance to the coastal population’s food security, employment and livelihood. Over the last three decades cereal production has increased from about 10 million tons in 1970s to about 50 million tons in 2010, but still a substantial proportion of rural households continue to experience constant food insecurity, malnutrition, women and children are more in this category than men. A variety of factors contribute to household food insecurity, including lack of access to land for cultivation, lack of employment opportunity, loan facilities, exclusion from social safety net programs and vulnerability to natural disasters. At present farmers can cultivate only one rice crop per year in the tidal surge areas; production is also highly vulnerable to weather conditions (with typical yield losses of between 20-40%). Productivity tends to be low partly because available technology and agronomic practices are not adapted to variable and changing climatic conditions. Consequently, diversified livelihood options are limited but household level poverty and food insecurity is high (NAPA, 2005).
The Government of Bangladesh realizes that climate change poses a serious threat for development and acknowledges the need to protect coastal ecosystems and optimize the utilization of coastal resources. The state’s national policies & strategies papers 12 recognizes the risks of climate change, sea level rise and associated vulnerabilities in coastal areas and suggests possible adaptation & mitigation actions and
11 World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators. CD Rom. World Bank, Washington, DC. 12 The policies & strategies papers are Sixth Fifth Year Plan (2011-15), Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, NAPA, BCCSAP, Coastal Zone Policy, National Forest Policy, National Agricultural Policy, National Fish Policy, National Land Use Policy, National Disaster Management Policy, National biodiversity strategy & action plan, Environment Policy
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 7 measures for improving climate-resilient, especially in the country’s coastal districts.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 8
Annex 2 Summary of Stakeholder Consultations held during Project Preparation Phase The project consulted extensively with key stakeholders at the national, district, upazila and union level during the project preparation phase. This included workshops, small group discussions and bilateral consultations at both national and subnational levels drawn from government, donors and civil society. The latter included village-level resource users, community leaders and NGOs. There was also close consultation with the LDCF-supported project on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation (CBACC).
Consultation Framework National Level Workshops (Dhaka) (all stakeholders /ministries /donors/ partners/INGOs/ alliances) District Level Workshops and Interviews (DFO/FD, DC, DD/DAE, DFO/DoF, DLO/DoL) Upazila Level Interviews (UNO, Range Officer, UAO, ULO, UFO, NGOs, CBOs and MP) Union Level Interviews (UP Chairman/Member, SAAO, NGOs, CBOs, resource user, teacher, local elite)
Inception Workshop An Inception Workshop was held in Dhaka on 8th August 2012 to formally launch the project preparation phase of the LDCF-supported “Integrating Community-Based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programme in Bangladesh”. The meeting was well-attended and a list of participants is given at the end of this Annex. The workshop provided an opportunity to outline the goal and objectives of the project, provide further context, and to discuss the proposed scope of the project in greater detail with national stakeholders. Key discussion points included the following: • Verification of the climate-change induced problem to be addressed through the project and the basic problem analysis, including assumptions, and broad suite of interventions proposed in the approved PIF. • Confirmation of the key areas of synergy and alignment with with on-going and planned work of the Ministry of Environment & Forests/Bangladesh Forest Department, notably the BCCRF-funded coastal afforestation programme • Identification of synergies with the UNDP-supported GoB Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP 2) Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 9
• Livelihood diversification options in the coastal zone including the advantages and disadvantages of different options • How best to engage communities, methods of selecting beneficiaries and ensuring real participation • Co-management experiences in Bangladesh • Engagement of NGOs for community mobilization • Potential roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders during project preparation and subsequent implementation
Bilateral Consultations
After the Inception Workshop, there were frequent follow-up consultations with BFD, BCCRF, and a range of NGOs including IUCN Bangladesh, Arannayk Foundation, CNRS and others. There inputs were invaluable in shaping the project.
Brief Summary of the Field level Consultations Field consultations were focused on verifying the most suitable areas for project interventions in terms of vulnerability to climate change impacts, livelihood diversification support linked to coastal afforestation and suitable sites for mixed species plantation trials. This is discussed further in Annex 5. Consultations were also conducted at the LDCF-supported CBACC project site in Naltona Union, Barguna which was visited together with the project Community Development Associate. In general, feedback from CBACC beneficiaries was extremely positive regarding the livelihood support extended by CBACC with requests for expanding and further developing such support through additional innovations and technologies. Consultations were also held with Upazila level stakeholders on the proposed design of the new project. Stakeholders at the consultation included local government representatives, NGOs, local elites and community leaders. Given the threats of climate change and natural disasters and recognizing the importance of the coastal greenbelt, those present at the meeting were supportive of the project’s proposed objectives and intention to work in the most vulnerable Unions and Upazilas. The following livelihood diversification options and activities were also identified along with the roles of key local government stakeholders: o DAE, DoF, DoL to be involved in supporting the implementation of the Fish-Fruit- Forest (FFF) Model including technical support. This would include support from DAE for planting of fruit & vegetable species, from DoF for model fish & crab culture and DoL for model duck and piegon rearing; o DAE will also provide technical support for the introduction of new climate-resilient agricultural crops, such as saline tolerant rice, chilly cultivation, and fruit trees
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 10
o DoF will provide support for fish culture at the household level, including fish cage culture near open canal/river, crab culture in ponds, crab cage culture near open canals/rivers. o DoL will provide support for new forms of animal husbandry such as pigeon and duck farming The stakeholders consulted were generally supportive of exploring co-management approaches at union level to safeguard mangrove forest resources.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 11
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
Government Departments
1. Dr. Aparup Chowdhury, Ph.D. Phone : 9514412 Additional Secretary (Environment) Mobile : Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) E-mail : [email protected] Bangladesh Secretariat [email protected] Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 2. Dr. Nasir Uddin 7169621 Joint Secretary (Development) Mobile: 01731390637(Direct) Ministry of Environment and Forests, [email protected] Building No. 6 Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka-1000 3. Dr. S.M. Munjurul Hannan Khan, 7167472(PO) Deputy Secretary (Environment-1), [email protected] Ministry of Environment and Forest, Building No. 6 Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka-1000 4. Mr. Shakhawat Hossain 7172781 Deputy Secretary (Forest) [email protected] Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 5. Mr. Quzi Munirul Islam 9553358 Deputy Chief [email protected] Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 6. Dr. Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal Phone : 9551512 Deputy Secretary Mobile : Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) E-mail : [email protected] Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 7. Mr.Sheikh Shoebul Alam 7164539 Deputy Secretary (Forest-1) [email protected] Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 12
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
8. Mr. Abu Nayeem Md. Maruf Khan Senior Assistant Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 9. Ahsanul Aziz Phone : 88 02 9103175 Deputy Director (Climate Change), Department of Email : [email protected] Environment, Dhaka 10. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Cell: 015523286171 Director, Email: [email protected] Natural Resource Management Department of Environment E-16, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 11. Mr. A K M Rafiqul Islam Cell Phone: 01711446249 Deputy Project Director Email: [email protected] CBAECA Project (former ECAMO, CWBMP) Department of Environment E-16, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 12. Mr. Muhammad Sulaiman Haider Cell Phone: 01817116050 Deputy Director, Enforcement Email: [email protected] E-16, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 13. Dr. Ram Sarma COP Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC) House 68, Road 1, Block- I, Banani, Dhaka 1213
14. Mr. AKM Shamsuddin Forestry Advisor Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC) House 68, Road 1, Block- I, Banani, Dhaka 1213
REDD Cell, Forest Department 15. Mr. Md Yunus Ali 01715371965 Chief Conservator of Forests [email protected] Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 13
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
16. Mr. Haradhan Banik Mobile: +8801711989419 Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCCF) E mail: [email protected] and UN-REDD N F P Forest Department, Bangladesh 17. Mr. Shekh Mizanur Rahman 01719483909 DCCF, Social Forestry Wing [email protected] Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 18. Mr. Ratan Kumar Majumder 01738360221 DCCF, Forest Management [email protected] Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 19. Mr. Tapan Kumar Dey, 01727329816, 01727329816 Conservator of Forests Wing, Wildlife [email protected] Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 20. Mr. Mozaharul Islam 01713002891 Assistant Chief Conservator of Forests, [email protected] Development Planning Unit Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 21. Md. Zaheer Iqbal, 01711443750 Deputy Conservator of Forests, [email protected] RIMS unit Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207 22. Mr. Imran Ahmed 01711445247 Deputy Conservator of Forests, Management Planning Wing Bangladesh Forest Department [email protected] Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207 NGO/CSO/ Research Organizations
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 14
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
23. Dr. Rezaul Karim [email protected] CSDIK House 5-A, Road 86, Gulshan-2 Dhaka 24. Mr. Farid Uddin Ahmed [email protected] Executive Director & CEO Arannayk Foundation 01713040583 House-120, Apartment-4A, Road-1, Block-F Banani, Dhaka-1213 25. Mohd. Abdul Quddus Cell: +880-1715023283 Senior Program Officer Arannayk Foundation [email protected] House 120 (Apt. 4A), Road-1 Block- F, Banani, Dhaka-1213 26. Abdur Rob Mollah [email protected] NACOM House: 41/1 (5th floor), Road No-1, Block-A Niketan, Gulshan Dhaka -1212 27. Dr. SMA Rashid [email protected] Chief Executive Center for Advance Research in Natural Resources & Management (CARINAM) 70 Kakrail, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 28. Mr. Mokhlesur Rahman [email protected] Executive Director Centre for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) [email protected] Bangladesh House 19/B, Road 16, 9886514 Block B, Banani, Dhaka 1213, 01711549460 29. Mr. M. Anisul Islam [email protected] Director Centre for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) House-19/B, Road-16, Block-B Banani, Dhaka-1213 30. Mr. William Collis w.collis@cgairorg Director, South Asia 8813250 World Fish Centre 8814624 House 22-B, Road-7, Block F, Banani, Dhaka 1213
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 15
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
31. A.K.M Musha [email protected] Country Director Concern Worldwide 8816923 House 15, (SWD), Road 7, Gulshan 1 8818009 Dhaka 1212 Academics
32. Mr. Md. Anwarul Islam Dir: 01715256440 Professor, Dept. of Zoology [email protected] Dhaka University/ and Chief Executive, Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh Cosmos Centre 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh Dhaka 1217, Bangladesh 33. Dr. Md. Golam Rakkibu [email protected] Head, Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline 01730062903 Khulna University
34. Dr. Narayan Saha [email protected] Head of The Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences 01716072440 Shahjalal Science and Technology University Sylhet 35. Dr. ATM Nurul Amin Professor Department of Environmental Science & Management North South University Plot 15, Blok B, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229 36. Mizan R. Khan Professor Department of Geography & Environment University of Dhaka (Annex Bhaban) Dhaka 1000.
37. Mr. Shakil Ahmed Ferdausi Environment Specialist World Bank Plot # E-32 Agargaon Shere-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka-1207.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 16
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
38. Akiko Nakagawa Tel +880-2-815-9001 Fax +880-2-815- Senior Environmental Specialist/Program Manager, 9029 [email protected] BCCRF The World Bank Plot # E-32 Agargaon Shere-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka-1207. 39. Mr. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad T: (+8802) 9890423, 9890395 Country Director IUCN Bangladesh Country Office House 11, Road 138, Gulshan 1 Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
40. Istiak Sobhan 9890423, 9890395 IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, [email protected] House 11, Road 138, Gulshan 1
41. Joanne Manda Climate Change and Environment Adviser DFID 10 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212 42. Mr. Jorge Nieto Rey 01713435849 First Secretary [email protected] European Union Delegation to Bangladesh House 7, Road 84 Gulshan 2, Dhaka 43. Mr. Morshed Ahmed 01714073747 Senior Adviser [email protected] Development Affairs Royal Norwegian Embassy House 9, Road 111 Gulshan, Dhaka 44. Richard Greene 885-5500 Mission Director – USAID [email protected] Embassy of the United States of America Baridhara, Dhaka 45. Mr. Bothold Schirm 8823070 GIZ 3rd Floor, House: 10C, Road:90 Gulshan-2, Dhaka
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 17
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
46. A.T.M Khaleduzzaman [email protected] Advisor, Water Management (IWRM) Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 882215-18 House 49, Road 90, 47. Wahida Musarrat Anita 8822499/1799 Programme Officer Aid Effectiveness and Climate Royal Danish Embassy Road 51, House 1, Gulshan 2, Dhaka, Bangladesh 48. Panchanon Kumar Dhali Senior Advisor-Forest Rehabilitation Management of Natural Resources and Community Forestry (MNRCF-Chunati) Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH P.O. Box 6091 Road 90, House 10/A, Gulshan 2 Dhaka 1212 / Bangladesh 49. Dr. Paramesh Nandy 01715007855 Project Manager Coastal Affortration Project [email protected] Room no.333, Level-2 Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 50. Md. Nurul Islam 01717756060 Database Manager Coastal Affortration Project [email protected] Room no. 335, Level-2 Bangladesh Forest Department Ban Bhaban, Agargoan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka 1207 51. Munshi Md. Hedayet Ullah 01711193834 Deputy Project Director, Agriculture Room no-318 (2nd Floor) [email protected] Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Khamar Bari, Dhaka
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 18
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
52. Mr. Abdur Rashid Dhali 01552330709 Deputy Project Director-Fisheries Room no: 313 (2nd Floor) [email protected] Department of Fisheries Matsya Bhaban, Ramna, Dhaka
53. Dr. Golam Rabbani 01731243654 Deputy Project Director Department of Livestock Services [email protected] Room no. 38 (2nd Floor) Khamar Bari, Dhaka 54. Dewan Jafrul Hassan 01719259230 Deputy Project Director CBACC-CF project [email protected] Conservator of Forest, Coastal Circle, Kashipur, Barishal
55. Sheikh Ahiul Islam 043171617 Deputy Project Director and Divisional Officer, Plantation Trial Unit Bangladesh Forest Research Institute [email protected] Rupatali, Barishal 56. Md. Fazlur Rahman 01552439265 Deputy Project Director CBACC-CF Project [email protected] Ministry of Land Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka 57. Dr. Veena Khaleque, Country Director Practical Action email - House 12/B, Road 4, Dhanmondi, Dhaka - 1205, [email protected]; Bangladesh phone: 8650439 58. Masuda Farouk Ratna, email - [email protected]; Executive Director Gram Bikash Shayak Shangstha (GBSS) phone - 8113059 House - 5 (GF), Road - 2, Block - Kha, Pisciculture Housing Society Mohammadpur, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh 59. M Anisul Islam, Executive Director Center for Natural email - [email protected]; Resource Studies (CNRS) House - 19/B, Road - 16, Block - B, Banani, Dhaka 1213, phone - 9886514 Bangladesh 60. Khokan Mani Chakma, Chief Executive BIRAM email - [email protected]; Naran Hiya, Khagrachhari Municipality, Khagrachhari phone - 01553598167 Sadar 4400, Khagrachhari Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 19
Sl. Name and Organization Phone & E-mail
61. Md. Jahangir Hassan, Chairman email - [email protected]; RDOP phone - 01712842872 1/E, 2nd Floor, Ring Road, Adabor, Shamoly, Dhaka 1207
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 20
Key stakeholders met in bilateral and group consultation meetings Name Position Organization Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad Country Director IUCN, Dhaka Md. Istiak Sobhan Programme Coordinator IUCN, Dhaka Junaid K. Choudhury Consultant IUCN, Dhaka Md. Nasim Aziz Programme Officer IUCN, Dhaka Farid Uddin Ahmed Executive Director Arannayk Foundation, Dhaka Syedur Rahman Divisional Forest Officer Forest Department, Barisal Gobinda Roy Divisional Forest Officer Forest Department, Patuakhali Md. Tazul Islam Upazila Nirbahi Officer Golachipa Pankaj Ghose Assistant Comissioner -Land Golachipa Md. Kamrul Islam Upazila Fisheries Officer DoF. Golachipa Md. Fazlul Haque Upazila Agriculture Officer DAE, Golachipa Md. Bayezid Hossain Upazila Fisheries Officer DoF, Amtali Md. Altaf Hossain Upazila Livestock Officer DLS, Amtali Niruttam Kumar Upazila Agriculture Officer DAE, Kalapara Sarkar Md. Abdul Awal Assistant Comissioner -Land Kalapara Md. Iqbal Hossain District Fisheries Officer DoF, Patuakhali Badal Chandra Halder Upazila Nirbahi Officer Patharghata Mr. Sandipan Upazila Fisheries Officer DoF, Patharghata Md. Badruzzaman Assistant Director Department of FDM, Patharghata Mirza Shahidul Islam Executive Director Sankalpa Trust, Patharghata Md. Awlad Hossain Project Implementation Officer Patharghata Md. Habibur Rahman Upazila Livestock Officer DLS, Patharghata Md. Shah-E-Alam Divisional Forest Officer Forest Department, Noakhali Md. Aowlad Hossain Private Sector Specialist RFLDC, DANIDA, Noakhali Mohd. Robiul Islam Social Forestry Advisor CDSP, Noakhali Md. Abdul Awal Upazila Nirbahi Officer-UNO Comaniganj Upazila, Noakhali Md. Abul Kashem Upazila Agriculture Officer-UAO DAE, Comaniganj, Noakhali Sadhon Chandra Upazila Fisheries Officer-UFO DoF, Comaniganj, Noakhali Sarker Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Upazila Livestock Officer-ULO DLS, Comaniganj, Noakhali Abul Barakat Dulal Upazila Chairman Kamal Nagar Upazila, Lakshmipur S.M. Nizam Uddin Upazila Nirbahi Officer-UNO Kamal Nagar Upazila, Lakshmipur Md. Golam Faruk Upazila Agriculture Officer-UAO DAE, Kamal Nagar, Lakshmipur Dr. Md. Billal Hossain Upazila Livestock Officer-ULO DLS, Kamal Nagar, Lakshmipur
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 21
Name Position Organization Asraf Uddin Rajon UP Chairman Char Kadira, Kamal Nagar Range Mollah Rezaul Karim Divisional Forest Officer Forest Department, Feni Z.M. Kamrul Anam Upazila Chairman Sonagazi Upazila, Feni Md. Mahbub Alam Upazila Nirbahi Officer-UNO Sonagazi Upazila, Feni Md. Joynal Abedin Upazila Agriculture Officer-UAO DAE, Sonagazi Upazila, Feni
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 22
Annex 3 Stakeholder Involvement Plan A wide range of stakeholders will be involved in the project, tailored to the specific needs of the three project components. A crucial component of PPG activities was to consult on the detailed design of stakeholder engagement, which is outlined below. Key stakeholders to be engaged include a range of government line ministries to implement and support the project implementation, NGOs, civil society, and local communities including some of their interest/community groups. In general, stakeholder engagement in the project implementation begins at the inception workshop, which will be held in the capital. Government departments, NGOs/CSOs and citizens will be invited to the workshop, and the focus of the project, the timing of site visits and stakeholder consultations, types and nature of adaptation investments, and expectations from stakeholders engaged will be (re)presented. During the first visit to the target sites, site- level inception workshop will be organized in each district covering the same topics.
Each component of the project has its own stakeholder groups:
Outcome 1 will be delivered through the Forest Department who will be responsible for delivering all Outcome 1 activities, deploy staff in the various activities during project implementation and report on activities and expenditure. The activities are to complement the community resilience component of the BCCRF Project of World Bank. The Project will also engage other relevant government Department and NGOs to implement livelihood diversification activities under this component. Forest Resource Management Groups (FRMGs) will be the main interface for the project staff at the site level; fishers, farmers, women and youth will be the main direct beneficiaries from the forest dependent communities, although the project is expected to permeate all segments of the communities. Total beneficiaries targeted through this outcome for alternative climate-resilient livelihoods diversification is 10,500 households. Moreover, FD with advice from BFRI will implement 600 hectares of mixed species model plantation where the community will be involved in the form of physical labour, nursery raising and patrolling guards, as and when required. Outcome 2 will be delivered through the MoEF with on-the-ground assistance from the FD. These agencies are all central to embedding the project's interventions into existing legal and regulatory framework for forest management. On the site level, the main stakeholders include the communities themselves, the local forest dependent community groups and relevant NGOs which will act as a service provider related to the training, capacity building and awareness raising Output of the Component. There will be 40 Forest Resource Management Groups (100 – 150 users in a group) formed under this component. Several trainings will be organized for
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 23
these groups including leadership, participatory planning and management, sustainable harvest of forestry resources, etc. Moreover, with representation from the FRUGs, 5 CMCs will also be formed in 5 upazilas (remaining 2 upazilas has the CMCs already with support from first LDCF project) to support co- management of forestry resources. Training and capacity building works are planned for the committees. Development of the NTFP based benefit sharing model will be generated out of the CMC engagement. Outcome 3 will be delivered through the MoEF while working closely with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and its Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) and Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP). On the site level, the project will work closely with the CPP Volunteer Network and the officials from relevant government departments at upazila level e.g. Upazila Agriculture Officer, Fisheries Officer, Livestock Officer, etc. This will necessarily include regular consultations with communities through community meetings to seek views and ensure clear dialogue. The project Output focusing on the protection of communal livelihood assets (Output 3.2) will focus more on the construction of raised earthen platform for livestock, improvement of tubewells, wells and ponds to ensure safe drinking water during extreme events. There is large number of cyclone shelters not having any shelter for communal assets including livestock. The project has planned construction of 10 earthen raised platform and ponds which will serve around 10,000 persons taking refuse in the shelters during cyclone. The output will consider drainage improvement for 25 km earthen embankment, that has eroded and often overtopped, and 150 safe water sources to the community. Informal stakeholder engagement may take place at any time and any location within the operational terms and guidelines set out by the project at start of implementation.
All activities on the site level will be carried out through the assistance of the Forest Department (FD) with support from Department of Fisheries (DoF), Department of Livestock (DoL), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). These are the official conduits for all site level activities and working through these channels will ensure smooth implementation and cooperation from local leaders. On the site level Union Parishad representatives will be integral to all interventions. The communities, and particularly the FRMGs comprised of fishers, farmers, women, youth and elders, will be involved in all decision-making through regular meetings. The project intends to run regular meetings incorporating educational videos, the outcomes of the participatory monitoring videos and other mechanisms to stimulate discussions and derive steering for the project. This will ensure that the interventions remain in touch with community stakeholder aspirations at all stages of the project. In addition, events that are designed to promote information sharing about the adaptation effectiveness of investments, such as annual events to demonstrate National Environment Day, Disaster Risk Reduction Day, are expected to provide additional stakeholder engagement benefits.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 24
In Bangladesh, due to its unique geographical circumstances, workshops and training activities in the site level are a vital opportunity not only for the sake of capacity building, but also for exchanging information across the sites and maintaining the engagement throughout the course of the project. Those workshops and training activities that will be undertaken through the project lifetime are shown below in Table A3.1 . Inevitably, due to the logistical challenge, some of the workshops/trainings will be jointly organized with multiple objectives covering different elements of the three Components.
Table A3.1 Stakeholder involvement workshops and training activities Outcome/ Title Timing Objective Location Target Outputs Participants
All Initial formal Year 1 Establishing the Dhaka Gov’t policy and meeting with all (Inception presence of the and all decision makers, relevant for the project Project NGOs, Local govt stakeholders following 6 Districts officials, all months) community Outcome 1 Alternative Year 1 – 3 Household 7 Project adaptation capacity building upazila beneficiary options for for adaptation households forest (10,500 dependent households) households Outcome 2 Local institutions Year 2 – 4 Capacity building 7 FRMG members development of 40 Forest upazila with special and capacity Resource emphasis on building Management women (targeting Groups (FRMGs) 33%13) Outcome 2 Co- Year 1 – 4 Capacity building 5 CMC members Management of 5 Co- upazilas with special Committee Management (2 emphasis on (CMC) formation Committee (CMC) upazila women (targeting and capacity already 33%) development under 1st LDCF) Outcome 2 Forest resource Year 2 – 4 Workshops at Upazila, Relevant benefit sharing Local, Regional District, stakeholders at mechanism and National level National Users/7 Upazila Level level (700 participants), 4 District Level
13 This target follows what was adopted in USAID’s initiatives in promoting similar groups Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 25
Outcome/ Title Timing Objective Location Target Outputs Participants
(600 participants), 1 national Level (200 Participants) Outcome 3 Volunteers Year 2 Train CPP 6 6,000 volunteers training on CC volunteers Upazilas in the project adaptation including TOT (no upazilas (60% of voluntee the 10,000 r in 1 existing upazila) volunteers) All Lessons Learnt Year 3 & 4 Share Lessons Dhaka 2 workshops with Workshop from the project relevant governt of ficials, policy makers, CSOs, universities and research organizations
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 26
Annex 4 Beneficiary Selection Criteria for Alternative Livelihood Strategies The project will be implemented in the four coastal districts and seven upazilas, where the BCCRF project is undertaking coastal mangrove afforestation and will follow a similar modality for beneficiary selection to Arannayk Foundation (AF), which is implementing the alternative livelihood generation component of the BCCRF project. To ensure coordination and stronger alignment between the resilient/alternative livelihood interventions carried out by the AF and the proposed LDCF project, the beneficiary selection criteria developed by the AF were jointly reviewed and will be the basis for selecting beneficiaries for the LDCF project. Moreover, the project will carry out an assessment in Year 3 to determine the extent to which these criteria have been effective in targeting the most vulnerable.
The proposed criteria and ranking system for selection of villages for project interventions is given in Table A4.1 below. Higher scoring villages will be selected for project interventions.
Table A4.1 Village selection criteria for the LDCF project Crieria Definition Score 1. Proximity to proposed afforestation/ reforestation site 0 – 2 km 3 (AF adopted the same criteria) 2 – 4 km 2 4 – 5 km 1 > 5 km 0 2. Dependence on existing forests (important indicator 0 – 2 km 3 for defining forest dependent communities) 2 – 4 km 2 4 – 5 km 1 (AF considers natural in place of existing) > 5 km 0 3. Level of current and potential impacts of climate Very high 4 change (occurrence of soil erosion/landslide, water High 3 retention, probability of tidal surges, salinity) Medium 2 (AF adopted the same criteria) Low 1 4. Size of area to be afforested/ reforested > 50 ha 3 (AF will only work in areas where afforested area is 20 – 40 ha 2 not less than 10 ha) 10 – 20 ha 1 <10 ha 0 5. Level of poverty (based on the most updated Very high 4 statistical data such as the Poverty Map of High 3 Bangladesh of 2009 and Union Parishad data on Moderate 2 village poverty level) Low 1 (AF adopted the same criteria) 6. Villages located whether outside or inside of coastal Outside and high risk 4 protective embankment and at risk of flooding during Outside and low risk 3 high tides /storm surges Inside, moderate risk 2 Inside and less risk 1 7. Proximity to cyclone shelters > 2km 4 Within 1-2km 3 Within 1 km 2 Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 27
Within the village 1 8. Land suitability for crop farming, cropping Single cropped with 4 intensity/pattern and risk of damage due to salinity risk and/or coastal flooding Single cropped no risk 3 (LDCF may consider this additional point) Double cropped low 2 risk Triple cropped low risk 0 Total score (Sum of all scores)
After selection of project villages, the next step will be to select the project beneficiaries. As the poor and disadvantaged groups are more vulnerable to climate change impact than wealthier groups, the project will strive to target the poorest and most vulnerable households within the selected villages as primary beneficiaries of project interventions. Several criteria have been identified for this purpose and are summarized in Table A4.2.
Table A4.2 Criteria for beneficiaries’ selection
Criteria Definition Score 1 Demographic/social Indigenous people household 3 Women headed household 4 Disabled/vulnerable women headed 4 household Neither of the above 1 2 Household income per person (using >1,500 taka but less than 3,000 taka 2 monthly household expenditures as a 800-1500 3 proxy) Less than 800 taka 4 More than 3,000 taka 1 3 Homestead land (Land ownership) Own land 1 Encroached or belongs to relatives 2 Leased land or khas lands or on 3 embankments Have own homestead and cultivable lands 0 4 Housing Pucca 0 Semi -pucca 2 Kacha 3 Make shift houses – temporary 4 5 Access to drinking water From tube well 2 From pond 3 From other unstable sources 4 Have own water supply 1 6 Sanitary facilities Permanent latrine 1 Temporary latrine 2 No latrine 3 Have sanitary toilet 0 7 Access to credit/NGO members Credit member of > 2 NGOs 1 Credit member of 1 NGO 2 No access to NGO credit 3 No access to credit /No NGO member 4 8 Forest dependency (% of household More than 50% 2 income from forest) More than 70% 4 90-100% 6 Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 28
Criteria Definition Score Less than 50% 0 9 Asset diversity – households own 5+ assets 0 various assets other than lands and 4-5 assets 1 houses 1-3 assets 2 0-1 asset 4 10. Production diversity – households High (9+ products) 0 produce various products on farm Medium (5-8 products) 2 either in their own lands or rented Low (3-4 products) 3 lands Very low (1-2 products) 4 11 Sales diversity- Households produce High market orientation (6+ products) 0 and sale their products to markers Medium market orientation (3-5 products) 2 Low market orientation (1-3 products) 3 Subsistence level (no product) 4 12 Food security – extents households No food shortage 0 have enough food for the family 1-2 months food shortage 1 members year round 3-4 months food shortage 3 >5 months food shortage 4 Total Score (Sum of all scores) Note: The final set of criteria will be finalized during the inception phase of the project
During the project inception phase, the project team will visit each selected project village to explain the project objectives, strategy and proposed activities to villagers during small informal gatherings (court yard meetings), with particular emphasis on finding ways to engage local villagers in project activities. The project team will also use these visits to build trust, by encouraging villagers to share their views and listening to their problems and recommended solutions but without making any commitments at this stage.
After these initial reconnaissance visits and trust-building visits, the project will conduct rapid surveys in the selected villages to prepare socio-economic profiles of each village and conduct simple household surveys, for example, by using an adapted version of existing household census forms and covering the criteria listed in Table A4.2. Additionally, PRA tools such as wealth ranking may be used to group households into different socio-economic categories.
After conducting the field survey, households will be ranked and categorized based on their total scores and the distribution of scores, respectively, on the parameters in Table A4.2. These rankings would be used to guide beneficiary selection by the project team at the village level. Again, high scoring households would be expected to be among the poorest and most vulnerable households in each village. It is essential to select the right beneficiaries in line with final beneficiary selection criteria agreed during the project inception phase and ensure that these criteria are made clear to all stakeholders and upheld by all project stakeholders.
Once the beneficiaries’ selection is finalized and agreed by all, the beneficiary households can then be grouped by the types of livelihood interventions proposed by the project based on the characteristics, skills and interest of the beneficiary households, as Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 29
different sets of knowledge and skills will be required for different types of livelihood diversification.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 30
Annex 5 Project Target Areas Locations of sites offices and Upazilas targeted under the proposed LDCF project (Upazilas highlighted yellow indicate the 7 target Upazilas) PNGO Site Offices & Regional Office Tentative Working Area Total Unions Total BCCRF BCCRF Location of Command Area District Forest Division Villages Working Plantation Area Specific Forest Division Site Office (Upazila, District) Unions (ha) Companyganj 11 41 1 50 Noakhali C.A.D. Hatiya 10 69 8 2,280 Ditto NoakhaliSadar 24 287 2 15 Ditto Noakhali, Noakhali Coastal Subornochar 6 2 15 Ditto 1) Noakhali Lakshmipur, Afforestation, Feni Kamalnagar 9 1 10 Ditto Feni Social Forestry Lakshmipur 21 252 5 20 Ditto Fulgazi 6 80 1 20 Feni S.F.D Sonagazi 9 93 2 265 Ditto Total 22 2,675 BholaSadar 16 123 2 10 Bhola C.A.D. Borhanuddin 9 52 3 40 Ditto Bhola Coastal Charfession 10 75 4 775 Ditto 3) Bhola Bhola Afforestation Lalmohon 9 76 1 20 Ditto Monpura 3 33 2 480 Ditto Tajumuddin 5 91 2 430 Ditto Total 14 1,755 Golachipa 13 230 11 120 Patuakhali C.A.D. Kalapara 9 247 4 125 Ditto Mirzaganj 6 72 1 20 Ditto Patuakhali, Patuakhali Coastal 4) Patuakhali Patuakhali 18 139 4 20 Ditto Barguna Afforestation Rangabali 4 4 1,030 Ditto Amtoli 10 186 6 60 Ditto Patharghata 7 67 6 490 Ditto Total 36 1,865 Total Grand Total 105 6,614
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Demography: Target District Profile District Upazila Target Union Village Area sq. Total Pop Male Female Total HH Electricity Upazila km. (%HH) Barguna14 6 1 38 563 1,831 882,000 433,000 448,000 214,600 26 Bhola15 7 3 60 473 3,403 1,758,000 874,000 885,000 371,700 11 Patuakhali16 8 2 67 882 3,221 1,517,000 745,000 772,000 346,900 14 Noakhali17 9 1 128 979 3,601 3,072,000 1,468,000 1,604,000 590,800 29 Total 30 7 293 2,897 12,056 7,229,000 3,520,000 3,709,000 1,524,000
Polders, Forest and Livestock: District Profile District Embankment (km) Regulator Drainage Channel Inlets Forest Land (ha) Cyclone No. of Livestock Shelters Barguna 414 140 835 287 12,451 42 237,238 Bhola 383 44 191 20 27,523 677 247,440 Patuakhali 1,075 138 1,238 379 16,682 340 382,443 Noakhali 142 92 473 - 23,400 294 487,469 Total 2,014 414 2,737 686 80,056 1,353 1,354,590
Demographics and Agriculture: Upazila Profile District Upazila Area No of No of Total Male Female Agri Land Literacy % Women Cyclone Total sq. Union Village Population (ha) Rate (7+) headed HH Shelter HH km. Barguna Pathaghata 387 7 67 134,635 68,071 66,564 15,273 60 2 42 25,610 Bhola Tazimuddin 513 5 91 116,822 60,677 56,145 9,209 29 1.3 65 20,444 Monpura 373 3 33 51,361 26,518 24,843 6,467 35 3.2 64 8,959 Char Fasson 1,106 10 75 342,038 176,115 165,923 37,177 38 1.9 164 63,740 Patuakhal Galachipa 657 9 230 206,307 106,047 100,260 45,264 42 1.6 102 35,934 i Rangabali 611 4 - 80,465 40,355 40,110 - - - - 14,047
14 Amtali Upazila, Bamna Upazila, Barguna Sadar Upazila, Betagi Upazila, Patharghata Upazila, Taltali Upazila 15 Bhola Sadar Upazila, Burhanuddin Upazila, Char Fasson Upazila, Daulatkhan Upazila, Lalmohan Upazila, Manpura Upazila, Tazumuddin Upazila 16 Bauphal Upazila, Dasmina Upazila, Galachipa Upazila, Kalapara Upazila, Mirzaganj Upazila, Patuakhali Sadar Upazila, Dumki Upazila, Rangabali Upozila 17 Sadar Upazila, Begumganj Upazila, Kobirhat Upazila, Chatkhil Upazila, Shenbag Upazila, Sonaimuri Upazila, Suborno Char Upazila, Hatia Upazila, Companyganj Upazila Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 32
Noakhali Hatiya 1,508 10 69 295,501 149,907 145,593 28,928 37 3.1 132 47,970 Total 5,155 48 565 1,227,129 627,690 599,438 142,318 - - 569 216,704
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 33
Annex 6 The Forest Protected Area Co-Management Model developed under the Nishorgo Project Under the USAID-supported Nishorgo Project co-management systems were developed in 18 Forest Protected Areas (PAs). These included four different platforms for community engagement at two different levels: People’s Forums and Village Conservation Forums at the village/community level and Co-management Councils and Co-management Committees at the Upazila level. The community level Village Conservation Forums (VCFs) are the building blocks of the system, while Peoples’ Forums (PFs) are bigger bodies representing a number of village, but still a grassroots people’s platform. The Co-management Councils act as advisory bodies and include representation from a wider range of stakeholders including government officials, while the Co-management Committees (CMCs) have responsibility for actual PA management and oversight of the implementation of the co-management system. In order to ensure active participation in co-management by the stakeholders in and around the forest Protected Areas, co-management institutions were formed (one each for a Forest Range covered within PAs) with representation from villages inside and adjacent to the PAs.
Operational Guideline for CMC formation Objectives: 1. To ensure the effective role of the resource user villages a “Peoples’ Forum” will be formed with representation of the villagers/resource users living in those villages. 2. All the villages will be selected according to their stake on forest resources, which would be determined through Participatory Rural Appraisal and Rapid Rural Appraisal. 3. Peoples’ Forum has to be given an effective role in the management of the protected areas. 4. It is necessary to enact an order for people’s participation in the management forest protected areas through forming Co-Management Committee.
The following forum will be formed under each forest range: Co-Management Council Co-Management Committee Peoples’ Forum (PF) Village Conservation Forum (VCF)
Village Conservation Forum: A village is a clustered human settlement or community normally living in rural areas, permanent with fixed dwellings. Traditionally, village is one of the root level structures of local society, which has significant role in local governance and decartelization of local society.
The Village Conservation Forum (VCF) is an inclusive platform of the Co-Management system that allows poor villagers or resource users to participate in natural resource management decision-making and management. It offers equal opportunity to majority village residence including women and indigenous community to discuss, criticize and propose relevant activities for the Co-Management Committee.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 34
The Village Conservation Forum (VCF) can be effective forum to discuss issues such as a) Rights of the community to conserve natural forests b) Possible actions to protect illicit felling c) Social security, gender justice, health and hygiene d) Options for Alternative Income Generation Activities e) Infrastructure development for the village.
Steps to form a Village Conservation Forum (VCF): The following steps to be taken to form VCF- 1. Organize village meeting to describe the objective of the census 2. Household census to be conducted for identifying the position and condition of the village people 3. At the time of census, clearly describe the power and responsibility of the VCF, PF and CMC 4. Organize village level meeting with the resource user and describe the power and responsibility of the VCF, PF and CMC again. In case of large village, divide the village according to the “Para” 5. Form the VCF in the meeting 6. 50% of the VCF member should be women 7. Elect Peoples Forum member from the VCF
Power of the Village Conservation Forum (VCF): 1. To allow village dwellers to be engaged actively in Co-Management processes 2. To restrict illicit felling from the forest 3. To stop illegal encroachment of forest land 4. To withdraw representatives from the Peoples’ Forum for their anti Co- Management activities
Responsibility of the Village Conservation Forum (VCF): 1. For local governance to be effective, the VCF must play a very active role and participate in regular and meaningful meetings. The VCF will meet to plan and prepare a shortlist of options for village development and review the implementation of Co-Management plan of different participating organizations. 2. The Village Conservation Forum will sit together to select Community Patrolling Group (CPG) Members from their own village. They are also responsible to exclude, change or reselect the CPG members according to the decisions of Co- Management Committee and Peoples Forum. 3. The Village Conservation Forum will sit together to select Peoples Forum (PF) Members from their own village. They are also responsible to exclude, change or reselect the PF members according to the decisions of Co-Management Committee and Peoples Forum if necessary. 4. The Village Conservation Forum can monitor and discuss the implementation of the development projects and make recommendations to the PF and CMC to improve the quality of work. 5. The VCF is responsible to assist the PF and CMC for selecting participants (beneficiaries) for the social forestry programmes of the Forest Department (FD) 6. The VCF will assist PF, CMC and FD to select labour for cleaning or any sorts of activities inside the forest. 7. The VCF may during the meeting take decisions to form its own committee to look into various issues and come up with recommendations. 8. The VCF is responsible for informing the CMC of activities taking place in their village that run contrary to the conservation of the PA. Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 35
9. To promote transparency, the VCF can ask the CMC to provide the project proposal and financial documents of the CMC for them to go through in case of any questions or need for clarification. 10. The VCF are responsible for providing comments and recommendations on CMC activities through the PF. If the VCF is not satisfied with the answers provided by the CMC they can raise further questions in front of the Divisional Forest Officer 11. The VCF is mandated to meet at least four times in a year, but may meet more often according to the needs of the community
Peoples’ Forum: The People’s Forum will be formed by election of representatives from villages and local communities within the Protected Area landscape. All key stakeholders should be represented, particularly women, the youth, lower income households, and important resource user groups. Thirty-three percent of the members of the People’s Forum will be women.
1. In each designated villages there will be one “Village Conservation Forum (VCF)” with the participation of forest resource users; 2. The People’s Forum (PF) will meet at least twice in a year and carry out its responsibilities. 3. The VCF will select two representatives for the Peoples’ Forum 4. The PF in turn will select an executive committee comprising 9-11 members for implementing the activities of the Peoples’ Forum and 33% of the member should be women; 5. The members of the Peoples’ Forum will elect the executive committee through ballot; 6. The duration of the Executive committee will be two years; but if necessary or any disputes arises against the committee and two-third members of the Forum agrees the committee may be dissolved before its duration and a new committee may be elected; 7. The structure of the committee will be: President Vice President Secretary Joint Secretary Treasurer Members (33 % of the members should be women)
Responsibility of the Peoples Forum a. Represent local users of natural resources and ensure that local livelihood issues are taken into account in the preparation and implementation of Protected Area co-management plans b. Recommend and support initiatives for protecting the natural resources of the Protected Area and conserving biodiversity and assist the Forest Department and co-management institutions in implementing tree plantations, reforestation, habitat restoration, nature tourism activities and other management activities of the Protected Area c. Provide guidance for proposals for implementing the Protected Area Co- management Plans, particularly with respect to the development of alternative Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 36
income generating activities and management of the sustainable use of natural resource d. Assist to prepare Protected Area Co-Management Plans and Annual Work Plans for landscape area conservation and development in and around the Protected Area e. Provide any other required assistance to the Co-management Committee on Protected Area management. f. Ensure that the revenue earned through co-management activities are utilized for the socioeconomic development of the local poor stakeholders
Co-Management Council:
For the fulfillment of the objectives of co-management of the PA, a Co-management Council will be formed with the full support and active participation of the key stakeholders of the Protected Areas and the wider landscape.
The Local Parliament Member, Upazila Parishad Chairman and Divisional Forest Officer are the Advisors of the Co-management Council. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the respective Range Officer will serve as the Chairman and Member-Secretary of the Co-management Council. The Council will meet at least twice in a year. The Member Secretary may convene the meeting giving 7 days notice, if necessary.
The Co-management Council will have maximum 65 members. Out of these, minimum number of women members will be 15. Different categories of stakeholders will select/elect their own representatives for the Co-Management Council. The categories and members are as follows: a) Civil Society (Maximum 5 Persons) • (Locally respected people, e.g. teacher, physician, social worker, journalist, religious leader and freedom fighter) b) Local Administration Maximum 3 Persons • Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) • Representative from Police • B D R / Coastguard c) Forest Department (Maximum 8 persons) • Assistant Conservator of Forest • Forest Range Officer concerned • Beat/Station Officers of the concerned Protected Area (maximum 5) Nearest Forest Range Officer d) Local Government (Maximum 5 Persons) • Representatives from the Union Parishads around the • Protected Areas (with at least two female and one male • Member) e) Local Community (Maximum 39 persons) • The representatives from the Forest Resource User Institution • The representative from the Indigenous People’s Group • Representatives from the Forest Resource Conservation Club • Representatives from the Community Patrolling Groups • Representatives from People’s Forum/Resources users Federation Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 37
f) Representatives from other Government Agencies (Maximum 5 Persons) • The Department of Agricultural Extension • The Department of Fisheries • The Department of Environment • The Department of Youth Development • The Department of Social welfare
The members of the co-management council will be elected for 4 years and after four year the council will be dissolve and the new council will be formed through election at Annual General Meeting, however, the representatives from government institutions will remain as ex-officio members of the council.
The Co-Management Council can be dissolved: a) According to Government Order the duration of the Council is 4 years and after that a new council would be formed through election. b) A council could be dissolved if two third members vote against the council and write a petition to advisors; Advisors can decided to hold a election for a new council
Co-Management Committee:
The Divisional Forest Officer and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO are the Advisor of the Committee. The respective Range Officer will serve as the Member-Secretary of the Co- management Committee. The members of the respective categories/groups of the Co- Management Council will elect members for the Co-management Committee according to the quota mentioned in Government Order. The maximum number of members of the Committee will be 29. All members will be elected for 2-year tenure except the nominated (ex-officio) members. No person can be a member for more than 2 (two) consecutive terms. The members of the Committee will meet at least once in a month. The quorum of the meeting will be attendance of 50% members of the Committee.
The members of the Co-management Committee will elect one Chairperson, one Vice- Chairperson and one Treasurer amongst themselves. The bank account of the Committee will be operated under the joint signature of the Member-secretary and the Treasurer.
The Divisional Forest Officer, The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer and Member-Secretary of the Co-management Committee will meet at least once in every three months to review the progress. The Chairperson will preside over the meetings of the Committee and the Member secretary will convene the meetings and perform other secretarial responsibilities.
The Co-management Committee will have its own office, which shall be located as far as possible near to the forest office. There will be a fulltime Accountant-cum-Administrative Officer. The said officer will maintain financial and other records of the committee. The financial book-keeping will be audited on annual basis by authorized institutions/organizations as directed by the Advisors. The Accountant-cum- Administrative Officer will be accountable to the Member-secretary for all his activities. His salary will be borne by the Committee from its own funds.The recruitment, financial and disciplinary rules for all appointments including the Accountant-cum- Administrative Officer must be approved by the Co-management Council. Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 38
The Co-Management Committee wil be dissolved automatically, when the council is dissolved or if two thirds of the members of the Council have objections against the Committee. However, the committee could continue till the new committee is formed with the decision of Councillors
The following steps are recommended for forming Co-Management Council and Committee:
Step 1: 1. Discuss and explain the Government Order with CMC members in a meeting. 2. Organize a VCF in each of the landscape villages. 3. Any existing Forest User Groups (FUGs) to be merged with VCFs; if any FUG wants to continue as a FUG they can continue by themselves. 4. This is an inclusive process; so all the forest users of the village will be a member of the VCF whether they are the member of the FUG or not. 5. Select two members from VCF for the Peoples Forum.
Step 2: 1. Form PF with two members from each VCF. 2. The PF will also select 22 members for Co-Management Council.
Step 3: 1. Discuss co-management structure, functions and processes with different categories of stakeholders and select council members from the Categories of Stakeholders according to the GO.
Step 4: 1. UNO issues a letter to all council members to hold a meeting where he will formally declare the Name of the Council members. 2. Each category of stakeholders of the council will select the members for the committee according to the GO.
Step 5: 1. Committee will prepare a plan for their activities. 2. Committee will perform the activities.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 39
Annex 7 CDMP’s Design for Killas (cattle shelters) The following configurations of Killas have been proven successful from the CDMP experience. At the time of the construction, a necessary modification to take into account local needs will be made.
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 40
Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 41
Annex 8 Project Risk Log The Risk Log has been developed to focus on the specific risks faced by the project. The ratings are of unmitigated risks.
Project Title: Integrating Community Based Adaptation into Project ID: Date: 27 August 2013 Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh
Status Submitted, (compared Date Impact & Countermeasures / # Description Type Owner updated Last Update with Identified Probability Management Response by previous evaluation) 1 Inadequate co- 21.8.2013 Organizatio Detailed delineation of roles and Project Submitted ordination among key nal P = 1 responsibilities for all key manager by Project stakeholders may I = 4 stakeholders to be engaged in Proponent, impact project the project is outlined and updated by implementation agreed in the project document Project and will be ensured through Manager national steering committee, project board and filed level coordination committees. 2 Implementation of 25.08.2013 Regulatory Though the first LDCF project Project Submitted some adaptive options has created avenue to ensure manager by Project may be hampered due P = 3 access to accredited coastal Proponent, to lack of coherence in I = 4 lands for vulnerable population updated by national policies and helped the GoB to issue a Project around land tenure Government Order in this regard, Manager issues still these are not reflect well in national policies. Within the first LDCF project life a new law addressing this issue is expected to be vetted by the government.
During the course of the first LDCF project, issues pertaining to land availability were real but resolved through MoEF’s strong
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Status Submitted, (compared Date Impact & Countermeasures / # Description Type Owner updated Last Update with Identified Probability Management Response by previous evaluation) commitment to the project results and UNDP’s continuous support/negotiations to relevant government agencies (especially Ministry of Land). While the same commitment can be expected in the proposed LDCF project, land scarcity is inherent in Bangladesh and continues to be real.
In addition, a new project (expected to be operational by end of 2013) is currently under formulation by UNDP CO to specifically address all policy conflicts related to natural resource management in Bangladesh. 3 Formal recognition of 25.08.2013 Strategic Though there are currently Project Submitted Forest Resource similar groups available in inland manager by Project Management Groups P = 2 forests, introduction of such Proponent, by government I = 3 architecture in coastal forests is updated by a new endeavor. Moreover, this Project needs to be specific to the Manager overall setting of the coastal zone. The project proponent’s efforts during the project preparatory phase to establish a formal partnership with USAID’s CREL project and CBACC project was precisely to overcome this risk by leveraging the former’s extensive experience on forming such groups elsewhere and latter’s Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 43
Status Submitted, (compared Date Impact & Countermeasures / # Description Type Owner updated Last Update with Identified Probability Management Response by previous evaluation) experience working in coastal Bangladesh 4 Delay in the 25.08.2013 Regulatory P = 2 There are already provisions of Project Submitted introduction of benefit I = 5 benefit sharing arrangements in Manager by Project sharing arrangement in participatory forest in Proponent, coastal forests Bangladesh. Lessons learned updated by from these mechanism will be Project explored to device an agreed Manager benefit sharing arrangement between government and local communities. 5 Delay in project 25.08.2013 Political P = 2 Currently there is uncertainty UNDP Submitted implementation due to I = 5 around the national election CO by Project uncertain political process and transition to the Proponent, environment may lead next government. UNDP CO will updated by to slow project delivery closely observe the political Project situation to find the suitable time Manager to initiate and operationalize the project. 6 Existing power 25.08.2013 Strategic P = 2 This is one of the very Project Submitted dynamics at the local I = 4 dimensions of the underlying Manager by Project level prevents causes of vulnerability for Proponent, adequate adaptive coastal communities that the updated by benefits to be delivered project will address. Project to the most vulnerable Manager (as identified in the The establishment of FRMGs will UNDP Environmental provide a platform for vulnerable and Social Screening community members to express Procedure) their concerns and in turn CMCs will provide an equal footing for them to discuss issues related to coastal forest resources with government agencies, local elites, and NGOs.
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Status Submitted, (compared Date Impact & Countermeasures / # Description Type Owner updated Last Update with Identified Probability Management Response by previous evaluation) However, the challenge of altering the deeply-rooted power dynamics is acknowledged and the project has earmarked budget to carry out an assessment in early Year 3 of the project implementation to gauge the effectiveness of beneficiary targeting as well as qualitative assessment on the empowerment of these vulnerable groups in FRMGs and CMCs.
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Annex 9 Terms of Reference for Project Board, Project Staff and Key Consultants
A. Outcome Board (National Steering Committee)
The Outcome Board (National Steering Committee) will be established by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) with the following possible composition:
1) Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests – Chairperson 2) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Land – Member 3) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture – Member 4) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock – Member 5) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management – Member 6) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources – Member 7) Representative (Joint Secretary level), Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning – Member 8) Representative (Joint Secretary level), ERD, Ministry of Finance – Member 9) Representative (Joint Secretary level), IMED, – Member 10) Chief Conservator of Forest, Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Forests – Member 11) Project Director, BCCRF funded Forestry Project - Member 12) Director, Department of Agriculture Extension, Ministry of Agriculture – Member 13) Director, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Ministry of Environment and Forests – Member 14) Representative of UNDP, Bangladesh Country Office – Member 15) Two Representatives from Civil Society Organizations including Arannayk Foundation – Member 16) 5 District Commissioners (DCs) from respective districts of the project sites – Member 17) National Project Director, Ministry of Environment and Forests – Member Secretary
The Outcome Board will be chaired by the Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and will meet on a six-monthly basis, or more frequently if necessary. The members include the UNDP Resident Representative and senior officials of the respective ministries, implementing agencies, District Commissioners and those cooperating organizations/institutions, which have a direct bearing on the successful implementation of the project. The Outcome Board can co-opt members as deemed necessary.
Responsibilities . Establish policies to define the functions, responsibilities, and delegation of powers for the implementing agencies and the Project Management Unit; . Provide overall guidance on budget management and project activities; . Facilitate coordination of project activities across institutions; . Review project activities, and their adherence to the work plan set forth in the project document; . Take decisions on the issues brought to its notice by cooperating agencies, departments, institutions, and UNDP; . Provide advice and guidance on efficient and timely execution of the project;
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. Initiate remedial action to remove impediments in the progress of project activities that were not envisaged earlier.
B. National Project Director (NPD)
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) will appoint a National Project Director (NPD) to be responsible, on behalf of the government, for the project. The NPD will be a senior official, equal or above Joint Secretary, from the MoEF. The NPD will be responsible for the overall administration, management, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and reporting. The NPD will act as the Executive of the Project Board in accordance with RMG/UNDP. The NPD will head the Project Management Unit (PMU), and will be supported by a Project Manager, PMU office staff and local experts.
Responsibilities . Ensure effective partnership with the Ministry of Land (MoL), the Ministry of Agriculture, and other implementing partners in the project . Ensure that project activities are integrated and coordinated with the established operations of the MoEF at the central office level . Develop and maintain close linkages with relevant sectoral government agencies, UNDP-GEF, NGOs, civil society, international organizations, and implementing partners of the project . Supervise and lead the project team in discharging their duties at an optimum level through ensuring efficient and effective resources utilization
With the support of the Project Manager, the NPD shall: . Oversee establishment of the PMU, with systems for the sound management of all project activities, implementation arrangements with partner agencies, and financial disbursements . Prepare detailed annual breakdowns of the work plan for all project objectives . Identify resource requirements, responsibilities, task outlines, performance evaluation criteria, and work plans based on the FSP and project progress . Develop detailed and measurable quarterly performance indicators for each project output at the outset of the project based on the FSP . Prepare quarterly work plans, which include indications of the extent to which the previous quarter's activities have contributed to the project's overall objectives . Prepare and finalize detailed Term of Reference and qualifications for each national expert . Submit, as required, Annual Performance Review (APR) to tripartite (TPR) review meetings . Direct and supervise the establishment of project administration procedures for all staff, subcontracting organizations/individuals, and participating agencies . Approve quarterly status and financial reports for comment and approval by the Outcome Board . Approve six-month budget forecast requests for approval by the Outcome Board . Oversee implementation of Outcome Board directives
C. Project Manager (Full Time)
The Project Manager will report to the National Project Director (NPD), and work under the matrixed supervision of the NPD and UNDP management. The Project Manager will lead the project team through
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the planning, implementation, and delivery of policies, reports, knowledge products, and other results approved in the project document and annual work plans. S/he will provide overall operational management for successful execution and implementation of the programme. S/he will be responsible for financial management and disbursements, with accountability to the government and UNDP.
In carrying out her/his responsibilities, s/he will advocate and promote the work of adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh and will also closely work and network with MoEF, MoL, MoA, MoFL, BFRI, DAE, BFRI, UNDP, the private sector, NGOs, and civil society organizations.
Responsibilities . Facilitate the day-to-day functioning of the PMU . Manage human and financial resources, in consultation with the project’s senior management, to achieve results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document . Lead the preparation and implementation of the annual results-based work plans and logical frameworks as endorsed by the management . Coordinate project activities with related and parallel activities both within MoEF/FD and with external implementing partner agencies . Monitor project activities, including financial matters, and prepare monthly and quarterly progress reports, and organize monthly and quarterly progress reviews . Support the NPD in organizing Outcome Board meetings . Coordinate the distribution of responsibilities amongst team members and organize the monitoring and tracking system of all cluster services . Report and provide feedback to UNDP-GEF and the Outcome Board on project strategies, activities, progress, and barriers . Manage relationships with project stakeholders including donors, NGOs, government agencies, and others as required
Qualifications . Specialist in natural resources management, specifically on issues related to climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and/or participatory coastal resources management . Post Graduate degree with 10 years working experience within the disciplines of environmental science/management, geography, natural resource management, climate change . Sound policy understanding of global development concerns, climate change discourse, and adaptation to climate change . Extensive business and information exchange contacts with national and international agencies involved in local and international studies of climate change, in general, and adaptation, in particular . Proven track record of project management and project team experience working with government, NGOs, and other key stakeholders in Bangladesh . Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Bangla
D. Community Organizers (Full Time)
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Community Organizers (COs) will report to the Project Manager and receive guidance for day-to-day project activities from the PMU and District Field Office. They will be responsible for facilitating community mobilization and coordination of all project activities at the site level and will act as focal points for community mobilization. Community Organizers will be guided by the National Project Manager.
Responsibilities
Coordination . Select a site-specific Coordinator for each site . Coordinate participating agencies/partners at the site level, working with partners’ site-level representatives to implement project activities and complement ongoing activities . Serve as project representative with all concerned Government of Bangladesh (GoB) officials at upazila and district levels, NGOs, and local government bodies . Organize and conduct monthly meetings, workshops, seminars, and other meetings in collaboration with FD, DAE, DoF, BFRI, MoL, and the District Committee on Environment and Forest Development and Disaster Management, and present monthly progress reports to the partners and PMU . Liaise with local GoB and non-GoB service providers and promote Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to establish strong linkages for acquiring services and to undertake advocacy campaigns on policy issues . Organize programs for visitors as required
Training and Awareness Programmes . Conduct training courses as per the work plan to strengthen and sustain CBOs . Prepare periodic awareness programs in consultation with team members and partners . Assist field-level workers of project partners in organizing awareness programs and workshops at village, union, upazila, and district levels
Institutional Development . Help CBOs build capacity to prepare adaptation initiatives and to access and make the best use of project funds . Support CBOs to improve their capacities to effectively raise issues of concern at the local level, and to act as advocates for community members during decision-making processes and to secure necessary support from the service providers . Guide and facilitate CBOs with the help of project staff to improve their monitoring systems, including catch monitoring through report cards and follow up, and to ensure use of results from the report cards . Conduct CBO assessments every six months in collaboration with project partners and share the findings with respective CBOs for future improvement . Support project staff to monitor CBOs accounts and provide financial management guidance . Advise and provide trouble shooting for CBOs if and when required . Guide the project staff in organizing village-level meetings and participate in the meetings with CBOs, villagers (along with concerned staff), and UPs
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. Facilitate CBOs to build up strong relationships with other CBOs and the local elected representatives . Take part in organizing and strengthening CBOs as local adaptation organizations and coordinate with partner in integrating adaptation activities
Monitoring and Reporting . Prepare concrete and verifiable targets for project activities, including awareness campaigns, resource management, wetland habitat restoration and enhancement, sanctuary management, tree plantation, monitoring surveys, and institution building . Ensure that CBOs revise their yearly Adaptation Plan, which should be duly approved by the DFO and displayed at the office . Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual work plans for the project activities and integrate the same with other partners for the site . Prepare and submit monthly and all other types of progress reports and case studies on various surveys, good practices, and field programs
The Community Organizers will also perform any other jobs as requested and required by the NPD, Project Manager, PMU, or other project authority from time to time as and when required.
Qualifications . Postgraduate degree in environmental sciences, social science, disaster management, geography and/or relevant disciplines . Extensive experience in vulnerability and adaptation needs assessments at the community level and regarding the formulation and implementation of community-based climate change adaptation measures . Previous demonstrated experience working in a project team . Familiarity with, and up-to-date knowledge on, various international efforts in vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and climate variability . Excellent verbal and written English skills
. Familiarity with the administrative, social and environmental context of the upazila . Experience working with the government, NGOs, CBOs, and other partners in the area . Experience mobilizing community members for development projects and activities . Good verbal and written English and Bangla skills
E. Admin and Finance Associate (Full Time)
The Finance Assistant will report to the Project Manager and receive guidance from the NPD and the Project Manager.
Responsibilities Set up and maintain accounting system whilst ensuring compatibility with Government and UNDP financial accounting procedures. Prepare budget revisions of the project budgets and assist in the preparation of the annual work plans.
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Process payments requests for settlement purposes including quarterly advances to the implementing partners upon joint review. Update financial plans, prepare status reports, progress reports and other financial reports. Undertake project financial closure formalities including submission of terminal reports, transfer and disposal of equipment, processing of semi-final revisions, and support professional staff in preparing the terminal assessment reports. Prepare annual and quarterly recruitment and procurement plans. Assist with procurement of goods and services, Assist with reviewing deliverables and processing payments Liaise with MoEF and UNDP on financial matters
Qualifications . Masters in Commerce, Business Management, or other relevant discipline . At least five years practical experience in UN-related projects . Strong understanding of budgeting and the UN/GoB accounting system—candidates familiar with UNDP administrative, program, and financial procedures preferred . Ability to use MS Office packages under the Windows XP Professional environment . Initiative, sound judgment, and capacity to work independently . Proficient verbal and written English and Bangla skills
F. Database Manager
The Database Management Assistant will report to the Project Manager (PM) and receive guidance from the NPD and the Project Manager to prepare the progress report on different activities to be implemented under different streams of the project. The Database Manager will design and develop a database system based on a data collection instrument that will designed by the Management Information System Expert. The database will contain two categories of information: First, information on different ministries, departments and agencies involved in the implementation of different activities of the project; and second, capturing progress on different outcomes, outputs and activities of the project. The Database will also have a facility to provide easy progress reports on different activities.
Responsibilities . Design, build, test, and deploy a database to support project management and reporting . Maintain and administer the project database and support automation (e.g. database objects, security roles, capacity, performance tuning, and alert rules) . Resolve database issues (incident and problem management) and perform proactive root cause analysis . Assist in data entry and provide technical support to the Project Manager, experts, and others using the database to input or maintain documentation . Assist in managing cross-functional databases, create new cross-functional database systems, and enhance existing cross-functional database systems for improved efficiency and service . Assist with the creation and enhancement of the most complex database solutions (e.g. adaptation to climate change-related interventions, database conversion, platform migration) . Ensure the integrity and performance of data structures . Assist the PMU in monitoring, planning and testing project activities, particularly regarding information collection and dissemination Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 51
. Develop and maintain documentation . Assist the PM, MIS Expert, and relevant project professionals on technical information management strategies, data architecture, cross-functional design, and maintenance issues . Elaborate internal policies and procedures on the use of Web tools. Ensure compliance to Corporate Information Management Strategy in consultation with office management . Identify the opportunities and ways of converting business processes into web-based systems to address the issues of efficiency (office management and knowledge management systems) . Assist in creating and maintaining the project-related database and intranet ensuring that the content is updated and meets the requirements of project . Support project office staff to maintain and upgrade the project website . Supervise and facilitate the development of internal IT applications
Qualifications . University degree in Computer Science, information and communications, statistics, or related field. . Five years work experience in database management, web design, web management and upgrades, IT project management, and the use of different types of hardware/software . Knowledge of database packages and content management systems
G. Climate Change Adaptation Specialist (9 months)
The local Climate Change Adaptation Expert for climate resilient development will report to the Project Manager and NPD. A detailed TOR for the Climate Change Adaptation Expert will be prepared by the NPD with support by the Project Manager during the project implementation.
Responsibilities . Develop site-specific adaptation plans in consultation with concerned implementing partners. These plans will focus on the following: a. Participatory approach for mangrove and non-mangrove coastal afforestation; b. Participatory approach for gender-sensitive, site specific livelihood diversification; and c. Participatory approach for assessing early warning needs to safeguard alternative livelihood investments against extreme climate events. d. Site-specific plans for protection of communal assets . Apply her/his knowledge on community-based adaptation to climate change and work closely with research organizations involved in the development of site-specific adaptation plans . Communicate these plans to each agency that will be responsible for its implementation.
Qualifications . Postgraduate degree in environmental sciences, social science, climate change, disaster management, geography and/or relevant disciplines including engineering . Extensive experience in vulnerability and adaptation needs assessments at the community level and regarding the formulation and implementation of community-based climate change adaptation plans and measures, particularly in coastal belt of Bangladesh . Previous demonstrated experience working in a project team Community-based Adaptation into Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes in Bangladesh 52
. Familiarity with, and up-to-date knowledge on, various international efforts in vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and climate variability . Excellent verbal and written English skills
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H. Climate-resilient Livelihoods Specialist (9 months)
The local Climate-resilient Livelihoods Expert will report to the Project Manager and the NPD. A detailed TOR for the Climate-resilient Livelihoods Expert will be prepared by the NPD with support by the Project Manager during the project implementation.
Responsibilities . Work in collaboration with the Climate Change Adaptation Expert to prepare site-specific adaptation plans, which include the following: a. Participatory approach for gender-sensitive livelihood diversification; b. Definition of specific adaptive measures for coastal livelihoods and c. Creating market linkages for sustainable livelihood diversification . Apply her/his knowledge on participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques and climate-resilient livelihood support . Work closely with research organizations that will be involved in the development of site specific adaptation plans
Qualifications . Postgraduate degree in agriculture, business development, natural resource management, and/or relevant disciplines . Extensive experience in the assessment and support of communal livelihoods . Ability to assess livelihood assets and their vulnerability to present and future climate impacts . Experience in the design and implementation of different livelihood measures at community level . Previous demonstrated experience working in a project team . Familiarity with, and up-to-date knowledge on, various international efforts in livelihood diversification to deal with different environmental and climatic stresses including variability . Excellent verbal and written English skills
I. Benefit Sharing Specialist (6 months)
The local Benefit Sharing Expert will report to the Project Manager and the NPD. A detailed TOR for the Benefit Sharing Expert will be prepared by the NPD with support by the Project Manager during the project implementation.
Responsibilities . Work in collaboration with the PMU, FD and targeted beneficiaries to device benefit sharing agreements for sustaining coastal green belts . Assess current benefit sharing mechanisms in natural resource management . Work closely with relevant project partners to ensure necessary policy amendments to incorporate benefit sharing arrangements
Qualifications
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. Postgraduate degree in finance, business development, natural resource management, and/or relevant disciplines . Extensive experience in the assessment and support of natural resource management . Ability to assess potential of benefit sharing arrangements for participatory NRM . Experience in the design and implementation of payments for ecosystem services projects . Previous demonstrated experience working in a project team . Familiarity with, and up-to-date knowledge on, various international efforts in payments for participatory NRM endeavours . Excellent verbal and written English skills
J. Land-use and Land-zoning Expert (6 months)
The local Land-use and Land-zoning Expert will report to the Project Manager and the NPD. A detailed TOR for the Land-use and Land-zoning Expert will be prepared by the NPD with support by the Project Manager during the project implementation.
Responsibilities . Work in collaboration with the Climate Change Adaptation Expert to prepare site-specific adaptation plans, which include the following: a. Participatory approach for mangrove and non-mangrove coastal afforestation; b. Participatory approach for gender-sensitive livelihood diversification; c. Participatory approach for assessing early warning needs to safeguard alternative livelihood investments against extreme climate events; and d. Land-use planning and land zoning . Apply her/his knowledge on land-use planning and land zoning policies and issues, as specifically related to climate-resilient livelihood support . Work closely with research organizations that will be involved in the development of site specific adaptation plans
Qualifications . Postgraduate degree in forestry, agriculture, geography, soil science, or natural resource management . Extensive experience in land-use planning and land zoning, particularly regarding assessing the suitability of coastal environments and various types of afforestation to promote and sustain alternative climate-resilient livelihood options . Project team experience . Familiarity with, and up-to-date knowledge on, various international efforts in land-use planning and land zoning to deal with different environmental and climatic stresses, including variability . Excellent verbal and written English skills
K. Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist (120 working days)
The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Expert will report directly to the National Project Director (NPD). While the NPD and Project Manager will oversee monitoring and evaluation activities, the M&E Expert
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will provide the on-the-ground support needed to closely evaluate progress and barriers and to prepare detailed quarterly, annual, and other monitoring reports.
The M&E policy at the project level in LDCF/GEF/UNDP has four objectives: i) to monitor and evaluate results and impacts; ii) to provide a basis for decision making on necessary amendments and improvements; iii) to promote accountability for resource use; and iii) to document, provide feedback on, and disseminate lessons learned. Project monitoring and evaluation is conducted in accordance with established UNDP and GEF procedures and is undertaken by the project team and the UNDP CO with support from UNDP-GEF. The Logical Framework matrix provides performance and impact indicators for project implementation along with their corresponding means of verification. These, along with the objectives, procedures, and tools described in the project document’s M&E plan will form the basis on which the project's M&E system will be built.
Responsibilities . Establish the overall M&E strategy in accordance with the M&E plan outlined in the project document and promote a results-based approach . Provide timely and relevant information to the NPD, Project Manager, PMU, and other project stakeholders . Coordinate and maintain close communication with the NPD, Outcome Board representatives, representatives of primary stakeholder groups, external consultants, and field staff, as well as with members of external M&E-related missions. . Guide and coordinate the review of the project logframe, including: a. Provide technical advice for the revision of performance indicators b. Ensure realistic intermediate and end-of-project targets are defined c. Conduct a baseline study (situation at project start) d. Identify sources of data, collection methods, who collects data, how often, cost of collection and who analyzes it e. Ensure all critical risks are identified . Coordinate the preparation of all project reports. Guide staff and executing partners in preparing their progress reports in accordance with approved reporting formats and ensure their timely submission. This includes quarterly progress reports, annual project report, inception report, and ad-hoc technical reports. Reports should identify problems and causes of potential bottlenecks in project implementation, and provide specific recommendations. . Foster participatory planning and monitoring by training and involving primary stakeholder groups in the M&E of activities . Monitor the follow up of evaluation recommendations . Organise (and provide) refresher training in M&E for project and implementing partner staff, local organisations, and primary stakeholders to develop local M&E capacity.
Qualifications . Post-graduate degree in a field related to development and/or management and experience in Monitoring and Evaluation . Statistical skills essential with knowledge of environmental and development applications . At least several years of proven experience with: a. The logical framework and other strategic planning approaches
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b. M&E methods and approaches (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory) c. Planning, design, and implementation of M&E systems d. Training in M&E development and implementation and/or facilitating learning-oriented analysis sessions of M&E data with multiple stakeholders e. Data and information analysis f. Report writing . A solid understanding of adaptation to climate change and environmental management, with a focus on participatory processes, joint management, and gender issues . Familiarity with, and a supportive attitude towards, processes to strengthen local organisations and build local capacities for self-management . Willingness to undertake regular field visits and interact with different stakeholders, especially primary stakeholders . Leadership qualities, personnel and team management (including mediation and conflict resolution) . Understanding of UNDP and GEF procedures . Experience in data processing and with computers . Excellent verbal and written English and Bangla skills
L. Knowledge Management Specialist (6 months)
The Knowledge Management Expert will report to the Project Manager. The expert will design and implement a system to identify, analyze, document and disseminate lessons learned.
Responsibilities . Consolidate a culture of lessons learning involving all project staff and allocate specific responsibilities . Ensure that ToR for consultants recruited by the project also incorporate mechanisms to capture and share lessons learned through their inputs to the project, and to ensure that the results are reflected in the M&E reporting system and the Adaptation Learning Mechanism . Document, package, and disseminate lessons at least once every year . Facilitate exchange of experiences by supporting and coordinating participation in any existing network of UNDP-GEF projects sharing common characteristics These networks would largely function on the basis of an electronic platform but could also entail other methods and tools such as workshops, teleconferences, etc . Identify and participate in additional networks, for example scientific or policy-based networks that may also yield lessons that can benefit project implementation . Capture lessons learned from the project on a continual basis and synthesize results of activities under Outcomes 1, 2, and 3. New learning from the project will include new approaches and methodologies for mangrove and non-mangrove afforestation, facilitating alternative climate- resilient livelihoods, removing policy barriers to building adaptive capacity, and effectively building human and institutional capacity for community-based adaptation and disaster risk reduction . Collate technical reports and other documents from the project and contribute to the ALM. Guidelines for extracting lessons learned will be drawn from the ALM.
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. Experience in climate change, biodiversity, coastal management, or other related discipline . Experience in knowledge management and evaluations . Excellent verbal and written English skills
M. Policy and Institutional Expert
The local Policy and Institutional Expert will report to the Project Manager. The expert will be engaged in the analysis of relevant policies and institutional arrangements which promote or impede coastal community resilience and participatory coastal green belt management.
Responsibilities . Review and analyze the relevant national policies with a focus on livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and community engagement in decision making process at the community level. . Support integration of climate change adaptation into local development planning.
Qualifications . Masters degree or above in climate change, coastal management, development policy, or related discipline . Proven experience in policy analysis, specifically related to the impacts of environmental or development policies on coastal management . Experience working with national, district, and local government partners . Excellent verbal and written English skills
N. Communication Specialist (120 working days)
The local Communication Expert will report to the Project Manager and receive guidance from the NPD and the Project Manager.
Responsibilities . Drafting and implementing the project communications strategy and work plan. . Coordinating various media and advocacy initiatives to ensure understanding and visibility of the project. . Responding to requests for information from donors, the media, government, and general public by providing documents and/or facilitating their access to relevant information sources. . Monitoring local and international media and prepare clippings or records of project-related news making full use of electronic news and discussion networks. . Producing a minimum set of outreach materials, e.g. brochures, newsletters, reports, case studies, and beneficiary reports, and distributing them to stakeholders . Designing and regularly updating the project website. . Developing and maintaining a list of key journalists and other individuals in the prime target groups to ensure wide and targeted distribution of information, for example to UNDP knowledge networks or other development networks . Organizing special events related to the project involving various stakeholders.
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. Maintaining photographic documentation of project activities, assisting in video production and editing, and maintain the audio-visual library. . Maintaining the project event calendar . Utilizing new information technology to communicate internally and externally. . Contribute as resource person in training courses organized by the project/UNDP.
Qualifications . Masters degree in the field of journalism, mass communication, or other relevant disciplines . At least five (5) years hands-on experience in journalism, public information, social marketing, advocacy positions, and/or campaign management. . Highly resourceful and self-motivated . Excellent inter-personal communication and management and networking skills.
O. Management Information Systems Specialist (60 working days)
The Management Information Systems (MIS) Expert will report to the Project Manager and receive guidance from the NPD and the Project Manager.
Responsibilities . Establish data and information exchange networks and the MIS with implementing partners . Design the data collection instrument and ensure the required information flow by linking the field staff, such as the Community Organizers . Generate reports based on the information regarding the target communities and beneficiaries for each project site and information regarding adaptation and afforestation . Analyze, collate, and verify reliability of the information regarding the delivery and performance of project outputs from possible sources and computerize the information in relevant software . Provide guidance to the project team on key outputs (including approaches for collecting and using relevant information), making a clear distinction between baseline and additional strategies, policies, and measures necessary to address climate change risks . Prepare monthly project information bulletins in consultation with the project professionals, concerned officials, and implementing partners. . Provide technical input to the Knowledge Management Expert in preparing lessons learned and good practices or success stories of the project. . Participate in the studies to be carried out by other consultants and sub-contracted teams; . Any other activities as designated by the Project Manager and the NPD.
Qualifications . Masters degree in Information Technology, statistics, or development studies . At least 10 years of experience in Information Management Systems, database development and management, and information-related activities. . Computer Proficiency, including database administration is required in different relevant software (particularly Microsoft Access and Excel) . Knowledge of reporting methodologies
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Annex 11: Co-Finance Letter from CREL
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Annex-12: Co-Finance letter from Forest Department
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Annex13 : Co-Finance Letter from CDMP
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